
te__fcL£_JLLk 
Book_ 



THE 



REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 






in 



REVELATIONS OF A SQUAEE; 



EXHIBITING A 



Graphic gi^Ii af fte Sapgs Eutr Jiangs 



EMINENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS, 

FROM THE 

REVIVAL IN 1717 BY DR. DESAGULIERS, TO THE REUNION IN 1813 BY 
THEIR R.H. THE DUKE OF KENT AND SUSSEX. 



BY THE 

REV. GEO. OLIVER, D.D., 

AUTHOR OF " THE HISTORICAL LANDMARKS OF FREEMASONRY," ETC., ETC. 

TAST D.G.M. OF THE GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS, U.S.; PAST D.P.G.M. 

OF LINCOLNSHIRE; AND HONORARY MEMBER OF VARIOUS LODGES 

IN EVERY QUARTER OF THE GLOBE. 



WITH ENGRAVINGS. 



Miscnit utile dulci. — Hor. 



V . 

NEW YORK: 
JNO. W. LEONARD & CO., AMERICAN MASONIC AGENCY. 

CLARK, AUSTIN & SMITH, 3 PARK ROW. 

1855. 



v\^*" 



/T) 



Stereotyped by 

HOLMAN & GRAY, NEW YORK. 

Printed and Bound />" 

J. F. BRENNAN, LOUISVILLE, K¥. 



PREFACE. 



Freemasonry, like all other sciences, is a system of 
progression. Something more is required to constitute 
a bright Mason than a knowledge of the elements of 
the Craft. A carpenter may know the names of his 
tools, and have acquired some dexterity in their practical 
use ; but this will not enable him to build a house, or to 
construct a common dressing-case. 

If any one is desirous of being a Mason, in the strict 
sense of the word, he must make himself acquainted 
with something more than words, signs, and tokens. 
The three stages of initiation can no more convert a 
man into a Mason, than the indenture of an apprentice 
can make him a mechanic. 

He must read and meditate, study with care and 
attention the history and doctrines of the Order, and 
attend his Lodge with the utmost regularity, that he 
may become familiar with its discipline by actual per- 
sonal observation. 

There is no Royal road to Freemasonry. 

The Gordian knot can be untied by diligence and 
application alone, and he who is ambitious to share in 
the honours of Masonry, must work his way up the 
ladder step by step, with patient assiduity ; and, " for- 
getting what is behind, he must press forward toward 
the mark" he aims at, and his mental exertions will not 
fail of their reward. 

The contents of this book will economize the labour 
of his researches, by placing before him the gradual 
progress of Masonry from small beginnings to its present 



IV PREFACE. 

extension and prevailing influence in every country on 
the face of the habitable globe. And, which is of still 
greater importance, it will make him familiar with the 
doctrines and practices, manners and customs of the 
Fraternity, and its master minds in times when its 
purity had undergone no change. 

It will be evident to the most casual observer, that 
the information contained in this work could not have 
been acquired by the most industrious and persevering 
observation of a single life, even though it might be 
extended to an extraordinary length, because it consists 
principally of private anecdotes, which could only be 
known by personal communication with the parties. 
And, accordingly, it is the result of an experience ex- 
tending over three successive generations. 

The facts are these : My lamented father, who died a 
few years ago, at the advanced age of ninety-two, was 
made a Mason, as I have reason to believe, in the year 
1784. He was very methodical in all his transactions ; 
and, "being a masonic enthusiast, he noted down in a 
diary, expressly devoted to that purpose, under a vivid 
recollection of the facts, whether they were witnessed 
by himself or communicated to him by others, every 
event or conversation that struck his fancy as being 
either singular, characteristic, or important in the work- 
ing of the Craft. 

By this process he preserved several interesting con- 
versations of our distinguished Brethren in the eighteenth 
century, which would otherwise have been irrecoverably 
lost. Added to this, he was acquainted, in the early 
part of his life, with an intelligent Brother who was 
initiated by Dr. Manningham in 1740, and personally 
knew Brothers Desaguliers, Anderson, Martin Clare, 
Hutchinson, Calcott, Preston, and all the great lights 
of that period. He was, although advanced in years 
when my father knew him, full of anecdote ; and having 



PREFACE. V 

been an attentive observer of passing occurrences, my 
father derived a fund of valuable knowledge from his 
communications, which he committed to writing as he 
received them, and the MS. came into my hands a short 
time before his death. It contains many curious parti- 
culars, some of which are now made public for the first 
time. In fact, I do not believe there is in existence so 
good an account of the masonic practice of that century, 
as is contained in this manuscript. 

For this reason the following pages must not be 
accounted fabulous and without authority, because its 
contents are communicated through an imaginary medi- 
um ; for the author is in possession of authentic vouchers 
for every transaction. It is true the language has been 
corrected, and in many cases, the dialogue amplified and 
extended, but he is not aware that a single event has 
either been misrepresented or heightened in colouring 
or perspective. They will contain a true picture of the 
manners, customs, usages, and- ceremonies of successive 
periods during the eighteenth century, drawn from the 
actual working of Lodges, and. enlivened by numerous 
anecdotes of the master spirits of the several ages in 
they respectively flourished; and, under whose active 
and judicious superintendence, Freemasonry reaped vast 
improvements, and attained a high preponderating influ- 
ence and merited celebrity. 

The book will, therefore, unquestionably prove a 
welcome addition to the meagre history of Masonry dur- 
ing the same period, which proceeded from the pens of 
Anderson, Noorthouck, and Preston, and constitute al- 
most the only records to which we can refer for a 
knowledge of the very important events that distin- 
guished Freemasonry from the revival to the reunion of 
the ancient and modern sections. 

It will be observed that the author has mentioned 
many peculiar usages and customs which the present 



VI PREFACE. 

system of Masonry does not tolerate; but being charac- 
teristic of the period, they will be, notwithstanding, an 
acceptable boon to the accumulating stores of masonic 
literature. With our present lights, the inexperienced 
Mason may be inclined to ridicule the practices of a by- 
gone age, and treat its peculiar doctrines as so many 
improbable fictions; but he should remember that the 
best Masons of the days here referred to had not dipped 
so deeply, as we have had the good fortune to do, into 
the recondite interpretation of the mysteries which they 
transmitted to posterity ; and that, consequently, their 
customs and amusements took a tone from the peculiar 
constitution of society, and bore a patent resemblance 
to those of the numerous clubs and coteries which 
occupied the leisure and divided the attention of the 
gentlemen of " Merrie England" in the eighteenth cen- 
tury. 

It will not be an uninteresting recommendation of 
this little work, to state that all the books and pam- 
phlets, both for and against the Order, and all the 
pretended disclosures of our secrets, which were inces- 
santly puffed by our opponents, and purchased with 
avidity, and read with eagerness by the vast multitude 
of cowans, who were desirous of becoming acquainted 
with the mysteries of Masonry without the ceremony 
of initiation, that were published in England during the 
entire century, have been noticed. The author is not 
conscious of any omission. He believes that no book or 
paper, which possessed the slightest pretensions to pub- 
licity, has escaped his researches. 

With these brief explanations, the author presents his 
work to the Fraternity, in the hope that it may not be 
altogether unworthy of their acceptance. It would 
probably have never seen the light, had not a portion 
of it, some few years ago, appeared in the pages of the 
" Freemasons' Quarterly Magazine and Review." And 



PREFACE. Vll 

it was so generally approved, that many kind, and per- 
haps partial, friends expressed an anxious desire to see it 
in a perfect form. If it should be found to possess any 
degree of interest, the author disclaims all share of the 
credit, except for performing the more humble duty of 
arranging materials which had been already collected, 
and putting them into a readable form. The task was 
simple — its execution easy ; and if the reader finds as 
much pleasure in its perusal as the author has had in its 
compilation, he will consider himself amply repaid for 
his labour. 

GEO. OLIVER. 



Scopwick Vicarage, 
December 6, 1654. 



CONTEXTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Page 

The Revival. — Dr. Desagullers. — 1717-1722 1 

CHAPTER II. 
Attack and Defence. — Dr. Anderson. — 1722-1740 ... 15 

CHAPTER III. 
Processions. — Martin Clare, A. M.— 1740-1747 ... 33 

CHAPTER IV. 
The Schism. — Dr. Manningham. — 1747-1760 49 

CHAPTER V. 

Tests and Qualifications. — Entice, Heslettne, Calcott, 
Hutchinson.— 1760-1769 64 

CHAPTER VI. 
It Rains !— Dunckerley. — 1770, 1771 84 

CHAPTER VII. 
Discipline.— Dr. Dodd.— 1772-1777 101 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Disputes.— William Preston. — 1777-1779 125 

CHAPTER IX. 
Fire !— Captain G. Smith.— 1779-1785 146 

CHAPTER X. 
Secrets. — John Noorthouck.— 1785-1790 168 

CHAPTER XL 
Charlatans.— Arthur Tegart.— 1790-1794 189 

CHAPTER XII. 
Cowans.— John Dent.— 1794-1798 211 



X CONTENTS. 

Page 
CHAPTER XIII. 

Begging Masons.— Stephen Jones.— 1798-1800 .... 232 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Legends.— Rev. Jethro Inwood.— 1800-1803 252 

CHAPTER XV. 
Lady Masons. — William Meyrick, Joseph Shadbolt. — 

1803-1810 . . . . * 272 

CHAPTER XVI. 
The Schism Healed.— Dr. Hemming.— 1810-1813 ... 293 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Curious Floor Cloth to face page 82 

Commemoration Medal 265 

The Mysterious Mirror of Wisdom 311 



THE 



REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE REVIVAL. DR. DESAGULIERS. 

1717—1722. 



I could a tale unfold." — Shakespeare. 
Dost feel a wish to learn this thing of me ?" 

TlTANlA. 

" Hoc est 
Vivere bis, vita posse priore frui." — Martial. 



A friend and Brother, who resides in town, knowing 
that I am somewhat of a dabbler in antiquities, forwarded 
to me, some time ago, an old Silver Square, which he 
told me had the reputation of having been used in one 
of the earliest Lodges after the revival of Masonry in 
1717. Of course I found it an object of great interest, 
and value it accordingly. Although a good deal batter- 
ed, the inscription is still distinctly visible. On one limb 
of its upper face is the following legend — 

Keepe within Compasse ; 
and on the other — 

Acte on ye Square. 
At the angle of junction is a rude heart with the letter J 
on it. The reverse is blank, with the exception of two 
small old English capitals (#♦ It), at the angle. 

The jewel is soon described ; but how am I to pour- 
tray my feelings, when, with the instrument lying on the 
table before me, I called up the spirits of the dead, and 
contemplated scenes of bygone times — the working of 
Lodges — the solemn Labours and convivial Refreshments 



2 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

which this small token had witnessed — the racy jest and 
sparkling wit which set the table on a roar, after the 
hours of business were past. This was the age when the 
facetious Doctor Sheridan reduced punning to a system, 
and it was practised by rule and compass : and, therefore, 
we may readily believe that the Lodges had their share 
of it. "O!" I exclaimed aloud, " if this square could 
speak, what interesting scenes it might reveal, and how 
it would enlighten us about the doings of Freemasonry 
at the time of its revival !" 

I had been sitting late one evening in contemplation of 
the scenes which took place in the palmy days of Mason- 
ry, when Desaguliers, Payne, Anderson, Lamball, Mor- 
rice, Timson, and their compeers were at the helm of 
affairs. A dull and dreamy sensation came over me, and I 
saw, or fancied I saw, the Square, which had just been re- 
posing motionless before me, raise itself up, with great 
solemnity, on the exterior points of its two limbs, which 
seemed to assume the form of legs. Body it had none, 
but the heart, which was delineated at the angle, put 
forth two eyes, a snub nose, and a mouth — a sort of am- 
plification of the letter J. I could trace the features 
distinctly, as we see the figure of a human face in the 
fire on a winter's night. 

While I was considering what all this could mean, I 
heard a small thin voice pronounce my name. To say I 
was merely surprised at this unexpected phenomenon, 
would be too tame an expression — I was utterly aston- 
ished and confounded. I rubbed my eyes and looked 
round the room. Everything appeared exactly as usual 
— no change could I perceive ; the fire burned brightly ; 
the books covered the walls ; the candles cast their 
usual light ; and the ticking of the spring clock over 
my head preserved its usual monotony. I began to fancy 
I had been mistaken, when my name was again uttered 
by the same unearthly voice, and there stood the little 
fellow, as if determined to indulge in some demoniacal 
soliloquy to which I was constrained to listen. At 
length it communicated its intention by saying — " Attend 
to me, and I will realize all your wishes, by enlightening 
you on the subject of your meditations, and giving you 
the benefit of my experience ; but first let me caution 
you not to utter a single syllable, for if you do the charm 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 3 

will be broken ; the sound of the human voice silences 
me for ever. 

" I was originally the property of a Brother whose 
extensive genius has invested his name with immortality 
— Sir Christopher Wren, Grand Master of Masonry at the 
latter end of the seventeenth century, which fell into 
desuetude when King George I. had the impolicy to 
supersede this great man in favour of Bro. W. Benson, 
and so .disgusted him with the world, that he declined 
all public assemblies, and amongst the rest, relinquished 
his connection with Freemasonry. The Craft refused to 
meet, or hold any communication with the new Grand 
Master, and Masonry languished for several years, till it 
was supposed to be extinct ; and Dr. Plot exulted in the 
idea that he had given it its death-blow by some ill- 
natured animadversions in the History of Staffordshire. 1 

" In the year 1712, a person of the name of Simeon 
Townsend published a pamphlet, which he entitled, 
' Observations and Enquiries relating to the brotherhood 
of the Freemasons ;' and a few others had been issued on 
the decline of the Order, as if triumphing in its fall. 2 
About this time, Dr. Desaguliers, a Fellow of the Koyal 
Society, and Professor of Philosophy, was gradually rising 
into eminence. In the course of his scientific researches, 
the above works fell into his hands. He did not find 

1 " The Natural History of Staffordshire," by Robert Plot, Oxford, 
1686. In this attack on the Order, the Doctor says, very illogically, 
that " one of their articles is to support a Brother till work can be 
had;" and another is "to advise the Masters they work for, accord- 
ing to the best of their skill, acquainting them with the goodness or 
badness of the material, &c, that Masonry be not dishonoured; and 
many such like." He then concludes by saying, that " some others 
they have that none know but themselves, which I have reason to 
suspect are much worse than these ; perhaps as bad as the history of 
the Craft itself, than which there is nothing I ever met with more 
false or incoherent." See the entire argument in the Gold. Rem., 
vol. iii., p. 37. 

2 These were — " A short Analysis of the Unchanged Rites and 
Ceremonies of Freemasons:" London, Stephen Dilly, 1676. "The 
Paradoxal Discourses of Franc. Mercur van Helmont, concerning the 
Macrocosm and Microcosm, or the Greater and Lesser World, and 
their Union ; set down in Writing by J. B., and now published :" 
London, Freeman, 1685. _ "A Short Charge," O.D.A.A.M.F.M.R.O. : 
1694. " The Secret History of Clubs, particularly of the Golden 
Fleece ; with their Original, and the Characters of the most noted 
Members thereof." London, 1709. 



4 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

them very complimentary to the Fraternity, but they 
excited his curiosity, and he was made a Mason in the 
old Lodge at the Goose and Gridiron in St. Paul's 
Churchyard, and subsequently removed by him to the 
Queen's Arms Tavern in the same locality, where the 
Grand Lodges were afterwards very frequently held. 3 
The peculiar principles of the Craft struck him as being 
eminently calculated to contribute to the benefit of the 
community at large, if they could be re-directed .into the 
channel from which they had been diverted by the 
retirement of Sir Christopher Wren. Dr. Desaguliers 
paid a visit to this veteran Freemason, for the purpose of 
consulting him on the subject. The conversation of the 
Past Grand Master excited his enthusiasm, for he expa- 
tiated with great animation on the beauties of the Order 
and the unhappy prostration which had recently befallen 
it. From this moment, the doctor determined to make 
some efforts to revive Freemasonry, and restore it to its 
primitive importance. 

" You may perhaps be inclined to inquire," said the 
Square, very naively, " how I became acquainted with 
these facts, as I was then quietly reposing in the drawer 
of a cabinet along with Sir Christopher's collection of 
curiosities. The truth is, that the venerable old gentle- 
man had taken a liking to Dr. Desaguliers, and presented 
me to him with the rest of his Masonic regalia. From 
henceforth I was privy to all the doctor's plans ; and 
as he soon rose to the chair of his Lodge, I had the advan- 
tage of hearing almost every conversation he had with 
his Masonic friends on the subject nearest to his heart, 
which generally occurred in the Lodge, with your 
humble servant at his breast suspended from a white 
ribbon. Every plan was carefully arranged, and the 
details subjected to the most critical supervision before 
it was carried into execution; and by this judicious pro- 
cess, his schemes were generally successful. Thus, 
having been in active operation from a period anterior to 
the revival of Masonry, I have witnessed many scenes 
which it may be both amusing and instructive to record, 
as the good may prove an example worthy of imitation, 
and the evil, should there be any, may act as a beacon to 

3 It is now called the Lodge of Antiquity. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. O 

warn the unwary Brother to avoid the quicksands of 
error which will impede his progress to Masonic 
perfection. 

"Bro. Desasmliers having intimated his intention of 
renovating the Order, soon found himself supported by 
a party of active and zealous Brothers, whose names 
merit preservation. They were Sayer, Payne, Lamball, 
Elliott, Gofton, Cord well, De Noyer, Vraden, King, 
Morrice, Calvert, Ware, Lumley, and Madden. These 
included the Masters and Wardens of the four existing 
Lodges at the Goose and Gridiron, the Crown, the Apple- 
tree, and the Rummer and Grapes ; and they succeeded 
in forming themselves into a Grand Lodge, and resumed 
the quarterly Communications, which had been discon- 
tinued for many years ; and having thus replanted the 
tree, it soon extended its stately branches to every quarter 
of the globe. 

" There was no code of laws in existence at the period 
to regulate the internal economy of the Lodges except a 
few brief By-laws of their own, which, in fact, were 
little more than a dead letter, for the Brethren acted 
pretty much as their own judgment dictated. Any 
number of Masons, not less than ten, that is to say, the 
Master, two Wardens, and seven Fellow Crafts, with the 
consent of the magistrate, were empowered to meet, and 
perform all the rites and ceremonies of Masonry, with no 
other authority than the privilege which was inherent in 
themselves, and had ever remained unquestioned. They 
assembled at their option, and opened their Lodges on 
the highest of hills or in the lowest of valleys, in com- 
memoration of the same custom adopted by the early 
Christians, who held their private assemblies in similar 
places during the ten great persecutions which threatened 
to exterminate them from the face of the earth. 

" But as this privilege led to many irregularities," 
continued my companion, " and was likely to afford a 
pretext for unconstitutional practices, it was resolved 
that every Lodge to be hereafter convened, except the 
four old Lodges at this time existing, should be legally 
authorized to act by a warrant from the Grand Master 
for the time being, granted to certain individuals on 
petition, with the consent and approbation of the Grand 
Lodge in Communication ; and that without such warrant 
2 



b THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

no Lodge should be hereafter deemed regular or consti- 
tutional. And a few years later Bro. Desaguliers pro- 
posed in Grand Lodge that a code of laws should be 
drawn up for the better government of the Craft. 

Accordingly, at the annual assembly on St. John's day, 
1721, he produced thirty-eight regulations, which passed 
without a dissentient voice in the most numerous Grand 
Lodge which had yet been seen, conditionally, that every 
annual Grand Lodge shall have an inherent power and 
authority to make new regulations, or to alter these fpr 
the real benefit of this ancient Fraternity ; provided 
always that the old landmarks be carefully preserved, and that 
such alterations and new regulations be proposed and 
agreed to at the Quarterly Communication preceding the 
annual Grand Feast; and that they be offered also to 
the perusal of all the Brethren before dinner, in writing, 
even of the tjonngcst apprentice, the approbation and consent 
of the majority of all the Brethren present being absolute- 
ly necessary to make the same binding and obligatory 
These constitutions were signed by Philip, Duke of Whar- 
ton, G.M., Theophilus Desaguliers, M.D. and F.R.S., the 
Deputy Grand Master, with the rest of the Grand Officers 
and the Masters and Wardens, as well as many other 
Brethren then present, to the number of more than a 
hundred. 

" The convivialities of Masonry were regulated by the 
ancient Gothic charges, which directed the Brethren to 
enjoy themselves with decent mirth, treating one another 
according to their ability, but avoiding all excess, not 
forcing any Brother to eat or drink beyond his inclina 
tion, according to the old regulation of King Ahasuerus— 
not hindering him from going home when he pleases, 
&c. : you remember the charge?" 4 

I nodded acquiescence. The Square took the alarm, 
and hastily said — " Do not forget our compact ; if you 
speak, my revelations are at an end. To proceed : — 

" I can testify to the convivial propensities of the 
Brethren of that day. Dermott did not libel them when 

4 In the year 1755, the Earl of Caernarvon being G. M., it was or 
dered that no Brother, for the future, shall smoke tobacco in the Grand 
Lodge, either at the Quarterly Communication or the Committee of 
Charity, till the Lodges shall be closed. In private Lodges it was a 
constant practice. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 7 

he said, 'Some of the young Brethren made it appear 
that a good knife and fork, in the hands of a dexterous 
Brother, over proper materials, would sometimes give 
greater satisfaction, and add more to the conviviality of 
the Lodge, than the best scale and compass in Europe.' 

" Bro. Desaguliers was elevated to the throne of the 
Grand Lodge in 1719, and proclaimed Grand Master on 
the day of St. John the Baptist. He effected great im- 
provements in the Order during his year of office ; and 
yet all the record which he thought proper to make of his 
Grand Mastership was, that ' being duly installed, con- 
gratulated, and homaged, he revived the old peculiar 
toasts or healths drank by Freemasons;' 5 and it was agreed 
that when a new Grand Master is appointed, his health 
shall be toasted as Grand Master elect. Bro. Desaguliers 
was peculiarly*active in the improvement and dissemina- 
tion of Masonry at its revival, and, therefore, merits the 
respectful and affectionate remembrance of the Frater- 
nity. He devoted much of his time to promote its best 
interests ; and being the Master of several Lodges, I had 
a fair quantity of experience in a small space of time, and 
I can confidently affirm, that though the public records 
of Masonry say so little of the acts of this worthy Brother, 
there were many traits in his character that redound to 
his immortal praise. He was a grave man in private life, 
almost approaching to austerity ; but he could relax in 
the private recesses of a Tyled Lodge, and in company 
with Brothers and Fellows, where the ties of social in- 
tercourse are not particularly stringent. He considered 
the proceedings of the Lodge as strictly confidential, and 
being persuaded that his Brothers by initiation actually 
occupied the same position as Brothers by blood, he was 
undisguisedly free and familiar in the mutual interchange 
of unrestrained courtesy. In the Lodge, he was jocose 
and free hearted, sang his song, and had no objection to 
his share of the bottle, although one of the most learned 
and distinguished men of his day. He delivered public 
lectures on experimental philosophy, an unusual practice 
for a dignified clergyman in those days, and showed him 
to be many years in advance of the intelligence of the 
age when he flourished. 

" Our business, however, is with Dr. Desaguliers, as 
I 

5 Anderson's "Constitutions," ed. 1838, p. 110. 



8 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 



the chief agent in the revival of the ancient and honour- 
able Institution of Freemasonry. He brought his private 
Lodges into such repute, and particularly that liolden at 
the Goose and Gridiron, that it was placed at the head 
of the list of Lodges; and a law was unanimously agreed 
to, that the Grand Master should be proposed and elected 
there, before he became eligible for the appointment of 
the Grand Lodge. It w T as supposed at the time that he- 
was the author of that famous paper which so thoroughly 
refuted the absurd allegations of Dr. Plot against the 
Order. 6 It is true I heard it applied to him several times, 
but he uniformly disavowed it, although it was generally 
believed that there was no other living Mason who could 
have done it so well. 

"As a proof of his attention to discipline and propriety 
of conduct, I give you an anecdote. On a certain occa- 
sion, which I perfectly remember, I witnessed the initia- 
tion of a noble lord, which was performed with great 
solemnity by Dr. Desaguliers ; and his lordship, though 
only a youth, appeared very much impressed with the 
ceremonial. But when the refreshment was introduced, 
and the severity of discipline somewhat relaxed, his lord- 
ship, according to a habit then very much in vogue, oc- 
casionally intermingled his conversation with an oath. 
This passed at first without notice, as the vice of swear- 
ing was common both to peer and peasant. Now you 
are aware, I dare say, that the opening formula in those 
days was, ' forbidding all cursing, swearing and whisper- 
ing, all religious and political disputes, together with all 
irreligious and profane conversation, under no less penalty 
than what the by-laws shall prescribe, or a majority of 
the Brethren shall think proper to impose.' Profanity, 
therefore, was a violation of Lodge rules, although they 
were not remarkable at that period for their stringency ; 
but the frequent repetition of the interdicted words, 
created an unfavourable sensation, which was not much 
to his lordship's credit. Bro. Desaguliers said nothing, 
how much soever he might be disgusted. At length his 
lordship appealed to the chair for the confirmation of 
some opinion. 

" ' I say, doctor, — d — me, don't you hear, — I ask your 

6 "A Detection of Dr. Plot's Account of the Freemasons." — See 
■*' The Golden Remains," vol. iii., p. 31. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 9 

pardon for swearing !' After this had occurred more than 
once, Bro. Desaguliers rose from his chair with a dignity 
which he well knew how to assume when circumstances 
called for it, and said, — 

" ' My lord, you have repeatedly violated the rules of 
the Lodge by your unmeaning oaths ; and more than this, 
you have taken some pains to associate me personally 
with your profanity, by your frequent appeals to the 
chair. Now, my lord, I assure you, in answer to those 
appeals, that if God Almighty does not hear you, I will 
not tell him!' 

" The peer was silenced, the Brethren pleased, and I 
must say I was proud of the Master. Another time he 
said to a person of equal rank, who was an adept in the 
reigning vice, 'My lord, if you thought you were honour- 
ing God, you would not swear so furiously.' 7 

I assure you, sir, that Masonry, as then practised, was 
a fascinating pursuit,' although its technicalities were 
somewhat different from those of more modern times. 
For instance, what you call the Great Lights were de- 
nominated Furniture with us ; the three moveable Lights 
were explained to mean the same as your three lesser ones, 
and were, indeed, the same in every particular ; and we 
had threejixed Lights, or imaginary windows in the east, 

7 Do not let me incur the imputation of libelling the manners of the 
eighteenth century by the above anecdotes, for they are strictly true. 
Swearing was the besetting vice of the age ; and Swift observes : "I 
cannot recollect, in this maturity of my age, how great a variety of 
oaths I have heard since I began to study the world, and to know men 
and manners. 

" For nowadays men change their oaths 
As often as they change their clothes." 

And he gives a case in point. "I remember an officer who had re- 
turned from Flanders, sitting in a coffee-house near two gentlemen, 
whereof one was of the clergy, who were engaged in some discourse 
that savoured of learning. This officer thought fit to interpose ; and 
professing to deliver the sentiments of his fraternity as well as his 
own, turned to the clergyman, and spoke in the following manner: — 
' D — n me, doctor, say what you will, the army is the only school for 
gentlemen. Do you think my Lord Marlbrough beat the French 
with Greek and Latin ? D — n me, a scholar, when he comes into 
good company, what is he but an ass ? D — n me, I would be glad, 
by G — , to see any of your scholars, with his nouns and his verbs, 
and his philosophy and trigonometry, what a figure he would make 
at a siege, or a blockade, d — n me !' " 



10 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

west, and south, which are now, I believe, discarded. 
Again, Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, according to 
ancient usages, were represented, not as at present by 
three pillars or orders of architecture, but by the two 
pillars of Solomon's Porch, and the Blazing Star, the 
left-hand pillar being the symbol of Wisdom, that on the 
right hand Strength, and the Blazing Star in the centre, 
Beauty. 

" The discipline of Masonry was always, as far as I 
could learn, essentially democratic, and the revivalists 
took especial care to make no innovations in the original 
plan. All power was committed to the members of 
Lodges; and even, as we have just seen, the newly 
initiated entered apprentices had a vote in Grand Lodge. 
In the popular government of Athens, it was an unalter- 
able law, that all the citizens in turn should be distributed 
in the courts of justice ; and on the same principle the 
Brethren of each Lodge choose their Master by ballot, 
who appoints his officers from amongst themselves, and 
these are its representatives in the General Assembly or 
Grand Lodge. And, as in all the democratic institutions 
of antiquity, a senate was appointed to prepare all motions 
and proposals before they were submitted to the decision 
of the General Assembly of the people, so we have com- 
mittees nominated for the same purpose. 

The Chief Governor of the Craft is annually elected 
by the delegates from the Lodges ; and in imitation of the 
practice at Thurium, the office was scarcely ever con- 
ferred twice on the same person, because if such a prac- 
tice had been admitted, it was thought that other persons 
of equal worth would be thus excluded from an honour 
which ought to be equally accessible to all. 

" The general laws of Masonry, however, were but 
loosely administered. It was provided ' that no Brother 
should belong to more than one Lodge within the bills of 
mortality;' but little notice was taken* of that absurd 
law, for it was violated with impunity by D. G. Masters 
Desaguliers and Martin Clare, and many others. And, 
again, instances occasionally occurred where a Grand 
Master continued in office for more than a year ; but the 
Society generally suffered by substituting the exception 
for the rule, as in the case of Lord Byron, who was Grand 
Master from 1747 to 1752, and never attended a Grand 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 11 

Lodge between those periods, which caused Masonry to 
languish for want of an active and attentive patron. 

"Again, with reference to private Lodges; no candidate 
could be admitted as a Mason, nor could any one become 
a member without the scrutiny of the ballot box; and so 
imperative were the laws respecting secret votes, that it 
was provided ' that when any Brother is proposed to be- 
come a member, and any person to be made a Mason, if 
it appears, upon casting up the ballot, that they are re- 
jected, no member or visiting Brother shall discover, by 
any means whatever, who those members w T ere that 
opposed his election, under the penalty of such Brothers 
being forever expelled the Lodge (if members), and if a 
visiting Brother, of his being never more admitted as a 
visitor, or becoming a member ; and, immediately after a 
negative passes on any person being proposed, the Mas- 
ter shall cause this law to be read, that no Brother may 
plead ignorance. 

"After all — I speak from experience," the Square con- 
tinued, — " the real exercise of power was generally in the 
hands of a few individuals, and sometimes of a single 
person, who, by his influence, was able to dispose of every 
motion at pleasure. This superiority was exercised in 
succession, during the eighteenth century, by Brothers 
Desaguliers, Manningham, Dunckerley, Hesletine, and 
White. 

" In these happy times — they were times of real enjoy- 
ment — labour was conducted with great seriousness ; and 
perhaps you will be surprised, when I tell you — and if 
you are not, there are those in this latitudinarian age who 
will — that the Book of Common Prayer, according to the 
rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, was an 
established Lodge book, as it was considered to contain 
all the moral principles of the Order. And, in the ex- 
aminations, 8 Brothers Desaguliers, Anderson, and Payne, 



8 In these early times there were no Lodge Lectures, (so called), 
but their places were supplied by " Examinations" of the same nature 
and tendency, but infinitely more brief and technical. I subjoin a few 
of these examination questions from the oldest formula in my posses- 
sion, which I have reason to believe was used during the G-. Master- 
ship of Archbishop Chichely, in the reign of Henry VI. " Peace be 
here." — A. 1 hope there is. Q. What o'clock is it? — A. It is going 
to six, or going to twelve. Q. Are you very busy ? — A. No. Q. 



12 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

placed the following passages as unalterable landmarks 
to designate the religious character of the Order. 

" ' Why due east and west? 

" ' Because all Christian churches and chapels are, or 
ought to be so. 

" 'What does denote? 

" 'The Grand Architect of the Universe, or Him that 
was taken up to the topmost pinnacle of the Holy Tem- 
ple.' 

" During this period the Fraternity had signs, symbols, 
and tokens of recognition, which are become obsolete, 
and I question whether your brightest Masons know that 
they were ever in existence. But, as the principal ob- 
ject of my Revelations is to make you acquainted with 
the sayings and doings of the Fraternity in the eighteenth 
century, I will reproduce a few of their peculiarities for 
your delectation. For instance : the symbols of the four 
Cardinal Virtues were delineated by an acute angle, 
variously disposed. Supposing you face the east, the 
angle symbolizing Temperance will point to the south 
(>). It was called a Guttural. Fortitude was denoted 
by a sal tire or St. Andrew's Cross ( x). This was the 
Pectoral. The symbol of Prudence was an acute angle, 
pointing towards the south-east (7), and was denominated 
a Manual ; and Justice had its angle towards the north 
(<), and was called a Pedestal or Pedal. 

"Many of our tokens of recognition, under the presi- 
dency of Sir Christopher Wren," said the Square, "were 
curious and significant ; but they were discontinued about 
the middle of the century, and are now, I believe, entire- 
ly forgotten. As they are excluded from the present 
system of Masonry, there will be no impropriety in 
enumerating them. They were ten in number. 1. Ask 
how do you do. The Brothers present drink to each 
other. 2. Inquire in what Lodge they were initiated. 3. 



Will you give or take ? — A. Both ; or which you please. Q. How 
go Squares? — A. Straight. Q. Are you rich or poor ? — A. Neither. 
Q. Change me that ? — A. I will. Q. In the name of the King and 
Holy Church, are you a Mason ? — A. I am so taken to be. Q. What 
is a Mason? — A. A man begot by a man, born of a woman, brother 
to a King. Q. What is a fellow ? — A. A companion of a Prince. Q. 
How shall I know you are a Freemason ? — A. By signs, tokens, and 
points of my entry, &c, &c. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 13 

Take up a stone and ask what it smells of. 4. By making 
a square with the feet. 5. Strike with the right hand 
the inside of the fourth finger of the left thrice. 6. 
Stroke the two first fingers oi" the right hand thrice over 
the eyelids. 7. Take off your hat with two fingers and 
thumb. 8. Turn your glass downwards after drinking. 
9. In shaking hands, touch the wrist three times with 
the forefinger. 10. Whisper — the Masters and Fellows 
of the Worshipful company greet you well. 

" Refreshment was a genuine feast of reason and flow 
of soul. Punning, however it may be condemned and 
sneered at by the fastidious scholar of the nineteenth 
century, as being a worthless and contemptible pursuit, 
was extensively practised according to the category laid 
down by Swift and Sheridan; and many a witticism have 
I heard uttered, which created the most uproarious 
mirth; for loud laughter was not inconsistent with the 
manners of an age when high jinks, in a sister country, 
possessed attractions which led, as Sir Walter Scott ex- 
presses it, ' the best educated and gravest men in Scot- 
land gradually on, from wisdom to mirth, and from mirth 
to extravagance.' 

" One evening, as these choice spirits sat around the 
table after supper — and suppers, I must tell you, in those 
halcyon days, generally terminated the business of the 
Lodge, — Brothers Lamball, Sorell, Beloe, Ware, Madden, 
Villeneau, Noyes, Cordwell, Salt, Gofton, Senex, Hobby, 
Mountain, and a few others being present with the W. 
M., all celebrated Masons, whose names are well known 
to the Craft, Brother Lamball, who was an incorrigible 
laugher, and that in no very mild tone of voice, being 
tickled by some witty remark, indulged his propensity 
in a regular horse-laugh. Brother Madden rose with 
much gravity, and addressing the chair, said, — 

" ' R. W. Sir, did you ever hear a peaceful lamb bawl 
(Lamball) so vociferously V 

" 'No,' said Bro. Desaguliers, ' but I've heard a mad'un 
(Madden) make an ugly noise (Noyes).' 

" ' Oh,' rejoinded Bro. Sorell, ' let him ride his hobby 
(Hobby) quietly, his lungs will be no worse for wear 
(Ware).' 

" 'Ah,' Bro. Ware snapped in, ' particularly if the colour 
of his hobby be sorrel (Sorell). Ha! ha! ha!' 



11 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ki 'The lamb had better go to sea next (Senex) and fchen 
he m&y bellow (Beloe) againsl the roaring of the salt (Salt) 

waves as t hey clash upon the mountain (Mountain),' shout- 
ed Bro. I lobby. 

kk 'Well, 1 replied Bro. Lamball, i I shall never quarrel 
with any Brother who holds the cord well (Cordwell — 
cable tow) for bhis or anything else, provided ho does not 
call me a villain (Vilieneau). 11a! ha! ha!' 

" 'I shall not, Brothers and Fellows, ? responded Bro. 
Villeneau, l question your good faith, although you cany 

on so briskly a Pun — ic war/ 

" *A truce to your wit,' Bro. Madden interposed. 'I 
thirst \o mend my simile." 
" 'Nay/ said the W, Master, * if Bro. Madden thirsts, 

why there's an end of if. 1 

11 'Oh, ho!' echoed Bro. Noyes, * if a pun is meant, I 
move that wo inilict the usual punishment.' 

" 'Why, then,' says the chair, "we will replenish the 
glasses, and try \o quench Bro. Madden's thirst with a 
toast. 9 

"Now, all this may appear very puerile io you, sir, 
but 1 assure you it. is a correct sample oi' the wit of the 
age, and formed the staple commodity of a lively conver- 
sation at taverns and clubs, which were then the resort 
of the highest nobility and gentry in the land." 



15 



CHAPTER II. 

ATTACK AND DEFENCE. DR. ANDERSON. 

1723—1740. 



" The end and moral purport of Masonry is to subdue our passions ; 
not to do our own will; to make a daily progress in a laudable art; 

to promote morality, charily, good fellowship, good nature and humani- 
ty." — Anderson. 

"She is the brightness of the everlasting Light, the unspotted 
Mirror of the power of God, and the Imago of his Goodness." — 

Solomon. 

" In rain would Danvers with his wit 
Our slow resentment raise; 

What, ho and all mankind have writ, 

Hut celebrates our praise. 
His wit this only truth imparls, 

That Masons have firm faithful hearts." 

Secretary's Song. 



" The success that attended the re-establishment of 
Masonry," my strange companion continued, "created a 
very great sensation, and raised up a host of opponents, 
who either envied the popularity of the Fraternity, or 
were desirous of diverting it into some other channel ; for 
the uninitiated were piqued at the respect and attention 
which it attracted so universally; and more particularly 
when the nobility began to interest themselves in its pro- 
mulgation. Many were the consultations which were 
held in the Lodge on this subject. Dr. Anderson, Grand 
Warden in 1723, had now become an active colleague of 
Grand Master Payne and Dr, Desaguliers, who held the 
office of Deputy Grand Master, and was installed into the 
chair of Hiram Abiffin the same year; and with the as- 
sistance of other eminent Craftsmen, it was formally 
deliberated which of three proceedings it would be most 
expedient to adopt in this emergency. Brothers Lam- 
hall, Noyes, and Villeneau were of opinion that the most 
dignified method of treating the absurd publications of 
those cowans who distributed their anonymous effusions 



16 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

through the country, would be by silent contempt; 
others proposed ridicule as the most efficient weapon ; 
while Brothers Desaguliers and Anderson thought that 
the interests of Masonry would be more effectually served 
by some public and authorised statement of their pro- 
ceedings, — by an avowal of the real objects of the Insti- 
tution, and an explanation of the principles on which it 
is founded. And this course was finally agreed on. 

" Accordingly, these two learned Brothers entered on 
the work with great zeal and assiduity. Bro. Desagu- 
liers, in 1721, made a public profession of a Mason's faith, 
in an Oration, which was printed and distributed plenti- 
fully both in the metropolis and provinces ; x in which he 
enlarged on the re-organization of the Grand Lodge, and 
stated seriatim the peculiar benefits, both moral and in- 
tellectual, which may be derived from a regular attendance 
on the duties of a Lodge. And Bro. Anderson published 
a well-written pamphlet on the rise and progress of the 
Order, and its application to the practical sciences. 2 

" In the same year, September 2nd, the Duke of Mon- 
tague being Grand Master, and Bros. Villeneau and Mor- 
rice Grand Wardens, a Grand Lodge was holden at the 
King's Arms Tavern, St. Paul's Churchyard, at which 
Bros. Desaguliers, Payne, and Anderson, were ordered to 
examine the old Gothic Constitutions, and to digest the 
same in a new and better method ; and at the succeeding 
Grand Lodge, in December, a committee of fourteen ex- 
pert Brethren was appointed to revise the manuscript 
when completed, and to make their report accordingly. 
In pursuance of this order, our worthy Bros. Desaguliers, 
Payne, and Anderson, commenced their proceedings by 
searching for manuscripts and authorities in every part 
of the kingdom where they were supposed to exist. They 

1 An eloquent Oration about Masons and Masonry. Delivered 24th 
January, 1721. 

2 " On the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry." The Rev. James 
Anderson, D. D., was minister of the Scots Presbyterian Church, in 
Swallow-street, Piccadilly, and well known in those days amongst the 
people of that persuasion, resident in London, by the name of Bishop 
Anderson. He was editor of the " Diplomata Scotise, and Royal 
Genealogies ;" a learned man, who unfortunately lost a considerable 
part of his property in the South Sea bubble of 1720. He had issue 
a son and a daughter, the latter of whom married an officer in the 
army. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 17 

communicated with many Lodges under the Constitutions 
both of York and London, and in most cases were suc- 
cessful in the search; yet a few instances unfortunately 
occurred where certain fastidious Brethren took the alarm, 
and committed many valuable manuscripts to the flames 
concerning ancient usages, regulations of Lodges, Charges, 
and secrets, — particularly one written by Nicholas Stone, 
who was Grand Warden to Inigo Jones, — lest they should 
fall into the hands of our friends, and be submitted to 
public inspection in a printed form. 

"At one of our Lodges, when this design was in pro- 
gress, Bro. Payne expressed his indignation at the super- 
lative folly of those misguided Brothers in no measured 
language ; and it was seriously debated whether it would 
not be expedient, for the purpose of preventing a repeti- 
tion of the offence, to move a vote of censure against 
them in the ensuing Grand Lodge for contempt. This 
was decided in the negative, as it was considered to be 
inquisitorial, and alien to the general design of Masonry, 
for the Grand Lodge to interfere with the disposal of 
private property. 

" It was agreed, however, at the same Lodge, that the 
K. W. Master, Dr. Desaguliers, should move ' that the 
ancient office of Stewards be revived to assist the Grand 
Wardens in preparing for the feast, and in other things 
appertaining to the annual general assembly of Masons. 
Bro. Desaguliers accordingly proposed the appointment 
of twelve Brethren for those purposes ; and the motion 
was unanimously agreed to. At the same Grand Lodge 
it was reported by the committee that they had perused 
Bro. Anderson's manuscript containing the History of 
Masons, the Charges, Regulations, and Masters' Song; 
and, after some amendments, had approved of it. In 
consequence of this favourable report, the Brethren re- 
quested the Grand Master to order it to be published ; 
and its appearance produced a wonderful impression on 
the public mind, and insured the triumph of the Craft. 3 

"At a Grand Lodge in the same year, the Duke of 
Buccleugh, G. M., seconded by Dr. Desaguliers, pro- 

914 The Constitutions of Freemasonry; containing the History, 
Charges, Regulations, &c., of that most Ancient and Right Worship- 
ful Fraternity. For the Use of the Lodges:" London, printed by 
Will. Hunter, for John Senex and John Hooke, 1723. 



18 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

posed a scheme for raising a fund for the relief of distressed 
Brethren, and a committee was appointed on the spot to 
consider what would be the most effectual means of 
carrying it into execution. This was the origin of the 
Fund of Benevolence, for which the Fraternity are 
indebted to the amiable disposition, coupled with the 
indefatigable exertions of Brother Desaguliers ; and the 
operation of the project proved so beneficial to the 
general interests of the Order, that it was publicly 
announced in Grand Lodge, that ingenious men of all 
faculties and stations, being now convinced that the 
cement of the Lodge was love and friendship, earnestly 
requested to join the Society, which soon flourished in 
harmony, reputation, and numbers. Noblemen and 
gentlemen of the highest rank — learned men, merchants, 
and clergymen, found in the Lodge a safe and pleasant 
relaxation from intense study, or the hurry of business, 
without any intermixture of politics and parties. New 
Lodges were constituted, 4 which the Grand Master and 
his deputy visited in person, and found in them a peace- 
ful asylum, free from the turmoils and disputes by which 
all other societies were characterised and deformed. 

" But I can assure you, sir, that the opponents of 
Freemasonry, although at their wit's end, were deter- 
mined not to die without a struggle 5 . They circulated 
all manner of ridiculous reports about the practices of 
Masons in Tyled Lodges, which were thus commented on 
by a Brother who was a member of our Lodge, in an 
address to the R. W. M., when the subject was mooted 
in open Lodge. I cannot recollect the whole of his 
speech ; but he said, amongst other acute observations, 
which excited the unfeigned applause of the members : 
' Though we envy not the prosperity of any society, nor 

4 Not only in this country but on the continent, and these latter 
unfortunately became a fruitful source of innovation. In 1725, the 
Chevalier Ramsay introduced his Royal Arch and other manufactured 
Degrees into a Lodge, under an English wan-ant held in the Rue de 
Boucheries at Paris, which was presided over by Lord Dcrwentwater ; 
where they were practised as legitimate Masonry. Ramsay tried to 
introduce them into this country, but failed. See more of this in the 
Hist. Landmarks, vol. ii., Lect. xxv., Part I., p. 32. 

5 They published about this time, "Observations and Critical Re- 
marks on the new Constitutions of the F. M., written by James 
Anderson, etc." London, 1725. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 19 

meddle with their transactions and characters, we have 
not met with such fair treatment from others ; nay, even 
those that never had an opportunity of obtaining any 
certain knowledge of us, have run implicitly with the 
cry, and, without fear or wit, have vented their spleen in 
accusing and condemning us unheard, untried ; while we, 
innocent and secure within, laugh only at their gross 
ignorance and impotent malice. Have not people in 
former ages, as well as now, alleged that Freemasons in 
their Lodges raise the devil in a circle, and when they 
have done with him, that they lay him again with a 
noise or a hush, as they please? How have some of our 
maligners diverted themselves with the wild story of an 
old woman between the rounds of a ladder! Others 
will swear to the cook's red-hot iron or salamander for 
marking an indelible character on the new-made Mason, 
in order to give him the faculty of taciturnity. Sure 
such blades will beware of coming through the fingers 
of the Freemasons?' 

" Not contented with having circulated these viva voce 
calumnies," the Square continued, "pamphlets began to 
fly about in every form, denouncing the proceedings of 
Masonry; 6 and several newspapers of the day joined in 

6 In 1724, a year after the appearance of the new Book of Consti- 
tutions, we have the following pretended revelation of its secrets : — 
"The Grand Mystery of Free-Masons discovered; wherein are the 
several Questions put to them at their Meetings and Installations : as 
also their Oath, Health, Signs, and Points to know each other by. 
As they were found in the custody of a Free-Mason who dyed sud- 
denly; and now published for the Information of the Publick :" 
London, printed for J. Payne, near Stationers' Hall. Folio. Price 
Sixpence. To the second edition were annexed "Two Letters to a 
Friend." The first concerning the Society of Freemasons ; the 
second giving an account of the Gorinagons. London, printed for A. 
Moore, 1725. Folio. Price One Shilling. The Fraternity will 
thank me for presenting them with the introduction to this catch- 
penny, as it will show how coarsely the enemies of Masonry endea- 
voured to accomplish their ends. " There was a man at Louvaine 
who proclaimed that he had, with great toil and difficulty, overcome 
and tamed, and was ready at his booth to show, at the rate of six 
stivers a-piece, that most hideous and voracious monster, the common 
disturber of mankind, especially in their adversity. People flocked 
from all parts to see this monster. They went in at the fore door, 
and after they had seen the creature, went out at the back door, 
where they were asked whether the monster were worth seeing ? But 
as they had, at their admittance, promised to keep the secret, they 
answered that it was a very wonderful creature. By some accident, 
however, jt was divulged that this wonderful creature was a Louse ! ! !" 



20 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the cry, for it contributed materially to the sale of the 
sheet. Are you aware, sir, what very poor productions 
these periodicals were? Do not speak! Well, then, 
I'll tell you. They consisted of two leaves of pot paper, 
and were dreadfully stupid; barren, sir, very barren of 
news ; and, therefore, the present popularity of Masonry 
was a god-send ; and the writers did not fail to im- 
prove the occasion by inventing any sort of nonsense, 
which they nicknamed ' the doings of Masonry in secret 
Lodges;' and the more ridiculous the imputation, the 
greater was the demand for the paper. 7 Danvers, a 
writer in the ' Craftsman,' so far exceeded his fellow- 
journalists in absurdity, as to have written a prosy article 
for the purpose of proving that those who hanged Capt. 
Porteous, of Edinburgh, were all Freemasons, because 
they kept their own secrets ; 8 and, therefore, the sapient 
writer concluded the perpetrators must be Masons, inas- 
much as they w T ere never found out. 9 

"The Fraternity were much amused with these 
abortive attempts to prejudice them in public opinion; 
and I have heard them sing the Sword Bearer's Song, as 
a glee for three voices, and full chorus, with shouts of 
laughter and applause. 10 But the Brethren took no 

7 Some of these amusing periodicals were called, " The Daily Post," 
"The British Plaindealer," "The Daily Journal," "The Post Boy," 
in which it is asserted that " The Freemasons put out a sham discov- 
ery to invalidate their revelations ; but the only genuine discovery is 
in ' The Post Boy' and ' The Flying Post.' " 

8 This circumstance is referred to in our motto. 

9 "Craftsman," 16th April, 1736, No. 563. And see Sir Walter 
Scott's "Heart of Midlothian." 

10 This song being read with the above explanation in view, will be 
seen in a new and interesting light. 

"To all who Masonry despise, 

This counsel I bestow : 
Don't ridicule, if you are wise, 

A secret you don't know. 
Yourselves you banter, but not it — 
You show your spleen, but not your wit. 

" Inspiring virtue by our rules, 

And in ourselves secure, 
We have compassion for those fools 

Who think our acts impure. 
We know from ignorance proceeds 
Such mean opinion of our deeds. 

" If union and sincerity 

Have a pretence to please, 

We Brothers of Freemasonry 

Lay justly claim to these 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 21 

official notice of them, as they were considered too 
contemptible to merit their serious attention. Nor did 
they esteem the philippic of Dean Swift worthy of any 
reply, as it was evidently written for a satirical purpose. 11 
"At length, however, these attacks assumed a form 
which it was thought necessary to counteract in some 
public manner. One gentleman (for they, were mostly 
anonymous) wrote a pamphlet containing a critical 
review of the History of Masonry; 12 another printed 
what he called an account of the ceremonies of initia- 
tion, 13 which brought out a third, called the Freemason's 

To State disptutes we ne'er give birth ; 
Our motto friendship is, and mirth. 

" Then let us laugh, since we've imposed 
On those who make a pother, 
And cry, ' The secret is disclosed 
By some false-hearted Brother.' 
The mighty secret's gained, they boast, 
Erom ' Post Boy' and from ' Flying Post." 

11 As may be understood from the following specimen : — " As to 
the secret words and signals used among Masons," he says, " it is to 
be observed, that in the Hebrew alphabet there are four pair of let- 
ters, of which each pair are so like that, at the first view, they seem 
to be the same. Beth (^) and Caph (s), Gimel (^) and Nun (s), 
Cheth (n) and Thau (^), Daleth (^) and Resch (*i) ; and on these 
depend all their signals and gripes. Cheth and Thau are shaped like 
two standing gallowses of two legs each ; when two Masons accost 
each other, one cries Cheth, and the other answers Thau, signifying 
that they would sooner be hanged on the gallows than divulge the 
secret. Then again, Beth and Caph are each like a gallows lying on 
one of the side posts, and when used as above, imply this pious 
prayer : " May all who reveal the secret hang upon the gallows till it 
fall down.' This is their Master secret, generally called, the Great 
Word. Daleth and Resch are like two half gallowses, or a gallows 
cut in two at the cross stick at the top, by which, when pronounced, 
they intimate to each other that they would rather be half hanged 
than name either word or signal before any other but a Brother so as 
to be understood. When one says Grimel, the other says Nun ; then 
the first again, joining both letters together, repeats three times 
Grimel Nun, Grimel Nun, Grimel Nun ; by which they mean that they 
are united as one in interests, secrecy, and affection." 

12 " Observations and Critical Remarks on the New Constitutions of 
Freemasonry." 

13 "The Secret History of Freemasonry, being an accidental Dis- 
covery of the Ceremonies made use of in the several Lodges, upon 
the Admittance of a Brother as a Free and Accepted Mason," &e. ; 
with the Charge, Oath, and private Articles given to him at the time 
of his admission. Printed from the old original Record of the 
Society ; with some observations, reflections, and critical Remarks 
3 



22 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Accusation and Defence, which, in fact, had already 
appeared in the 'Post Boy;' 14 and in 1726 an oration, in 
which these attacks were alluded to, was delivered by 
the Junior Grand Warden of the York Masons, in the 
presence of Charles Bathurst, Esq., the Grand Master, 
which was ordered to be printed. 15 A speech was also 
published as delivered at Carmarthen in 1728 ; 16 and 
another writer thus speaks of some objections which 
were made against the Craft: — 'Others complain that 
the Masons continue too long in the Lodge, spending 
their money to the hurt of their families, and come home 
too late — nay, sometimes intoxicated with liquor! But 
they have no occasion to drink much in Lodge hours, 
which are not long ; and when the Lodge is closed 
(always in good time) any Brother may go home when 
he pleases : so that if any stay longer, and become intoxi- 
cated, it is at their own cost, not as Masons, but as 
other imprudent men do, for which the Fraternity is not 
accountable ; and the expense of a Lodge is not so great 
as that of a private club. Some observing that Masons 
are not more religious, nor more knowing, than other 
men, are astonished at what they can be conversant about 
in Lodsre hours! but though a Lod<?e is not a school of 
divinity, the Brethren are taught the great lessons of 
religion, morality, humanity, and friendship; to abhor 
persecution, and to be peaceable subjects under the civil 
government wherever they reside ; and as for their know- 
on the new Constitution Book of the Free Masons, written by James 
Anderson, A. M., and dedicated to the Duke of Montague by J. 
Desaguliers, LL. D., Deputy Grand Master. With a short Dic- 
tionary of private signs and signals. The second edition. London, 
printed for Sam. Briscoe, at the Bell-Savage, 1725. 

14 "The Freemasons' Accusation and Defence, in Six genuine 
Letters between a Gentleman in the Country and his Son, a Student 
in the Temple, wherein the whole affair of Masonry is fairly debated, 
and all the Arguments for and against that Fraternity are curiously 
and impartially handled." London, Peele and Blandford, 1726. 

15 " A Speech delivered to the Worshipful and Ancient Society of 
Free and Accepted Masons, at a Grand Lodge held at Merchant's 
Hall, in the City of York, on St. Thomas's Day, December 27, 1726. 
The llight Worshipful Charles Bathurst, Esq., Grand Master. By 
the Junior Grand Warden." London, 1729. 

10 " A Speech delivered at a Lodge held at the Carpenter's Arms, 
the 31st December, 1728, by Edw. Oakley, late Pro v. Senior Grand 
Warden in Carmarthen." 



THE REVELATIOxVS OF A SQUARE. 23 

ledge, they claim as large a share of it as other men in 
their situation.' Beyond these fugitive attempts, I did 
not hear that anything was done at present to rebut the 
slanders which were so freely circulated to the prejudice 
of the Craft. 

" At length, in 1730, a man of the name of Prichard, 
an unprincipled and needy Brother, concocted a book 
which contained a great deal of plausible matter, mingled 
with a few grains of truth, which he published under 
the name of 'Masonry Dissected,' 17 and impudently pro- 
claimed in his dedication that it was intended for the 
information of the Craft. 18 And to show his learning, he 

17 "Masonry Dissected; being a Universal and Genuine Descrip- 
tion of all its Branches, from the Original to this Present Time : as 
it is delivered in the constituted regular Lodges, both in City and 
Country, according to the several Degrees of Admission ; giving an 
impartial Account of their regular Proceedings in initiating their 
^ew Members in the whole Three Degrees of Masonry, viz., I. 
Entered Prentice ; II. Fellow Craft ; III. Master. To which is 
added, The Author's Vindication of Himself. By Samuel Prichard, 
late Member of a constituted Lodge. London, 1730. Fourth edition, 
London, J. Wilford, 1731. Eighth edition, London, J. Thorbuck, 
1737. Thirteenth edition, London, Chandler, 1774. Twenty-first 
edition, London^ Byfield and Hawkesworth, 1787. It was translated 
into Dutch, French, and German. The former had this title : — 
" Prichard het Collegie der Vrije-Metselaars ontledt, of een algemeene 
en opregte Beschrijving van alle derzelves Soorten, van desselfs 
Oorsprong tot op de Jegenwoordige Tyd." Utrecht, 1734. The 
French edition had this title: — "La Reception mysterieuse de la 
celebre Societe des Francs-Macons, contenant une Relation generale 
et sincere de leurs Ceremonies. Par Samuel Prichard, ci devant 
Membre d'une Chamber de la meme Confrairie. Traduite de 1' An- 
glais eclaircie par des Remarques critiques, suivie de quelques autres 
Pieces curieuses, relatives a la Grande Bretagne, avec des Observa- 
tions Historiques et Geographiques." A Londres par la Compagnie 
des Libraries, 1737. And the German edition was thus announced : 
— " Die zunft der freien maurer, oder, allgemeine und aufrichtige 
Beschreibung aller derselben Gattungen, von ihrem Ursprunge bis 
auf jetzige zeit. Als em Unpartheyischer Bericht ihrer Handlungen 
bei Aunehm und Einweihung ihrer neuen Gleieder, und den drei 
unterschiedenen Stuffen derer Maurer. Ans Licht gegeben durch 
Samuel Prichard, vormaligen Glied einer Zunfft Kammer. Ans der 
funften Englishchen Aufflage iibersetzt 1736. Analysirt in den 
Actis Hist. Eccles. 1738, im Anhange von 1736." 

18 1 subjoin this precious dedication. "To the Worshipful and 
Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons. Brethren 
and Fellows. — If the following sheets, done without partiality, gain 
the universal applause of so worthy a society, I doubt not but their 
general character will be diffused and esteemed among the remaining 



24 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

asserted in his preface that 'from the accepted Masons 
sprang the real Masons, from both sprang the Gorma- 
gons, whose Grand Master, the Polgi, deduces his original 
from the Chinese, whose writings, if to be credited, 
maintained the hypothesis of the Pre-Adamites, and 
consequently must be more antique than Masonry! The 
most free and open society is that of the Grand Kaiheber, 
which consists of a select company of responsible people, 
whose chief discourse is concerning trade and business, 
and promoting mutual friendship without compulsion or 
restriction.' ! ! ! 19 

"What do you think of this, sir? Was not this 
information truly wonderful? The public thought so. 
They said — 'It must be this — it Can be nothing else ; it 
is, as we always supposed, a whimsical cheat, supported 
by great names to seduce fools, who, once gulled out of 
their money, keep the fraud secret to draw in others.' 
And accordingly the book had an enormous and rapid 
sale, for four editions were called for in the first year of 
its publication, so open is poor John Bull to imposition. 
Its success stimulated others to follow in the same track, 
and three or four pretended revelations of Masonic secrets 
issued from the press simultaneously. 20 

" It was now considered necessary to disabuse the 
public mind ; and for this purpose Dr. Anderson was 
directed by the Grand Lodge in 1738 to prepare a defence 
of the Order against the calumnies which had been so 
industriously circulated to its prejudice. Several pamph- 
lets had already appeared, as the Oration of the celebra- 
ted Martin Clare, J. G. W., in 1735, before the Grand 
Lodge; 21 the 'Freemasons' Pocket Companion,' by Dr. 

polite part of mankind ; which I hope will give entire satisfaction to 
all lovers of truth ; and I shall remain, with all humble submission, 
the Fraternity's most obedient humble servant, Sam. Prichard." 

19 There is a degree or society of this nature in the United States, 
called the Secret Monitor, which was established for the purpose of 
enabling its members to assist each other in their commercial trans- 
actions. 

20 1. "The Secrets of Masonry made known to all Men, by S. P., 
late member of a constituted Lodge. To which is added, The 
Author's Vindication of Himself." London, Thorbuck, 1737. 2. 
"The Mystery of Masonry." London, Thorbuck, 3737. 3. "The 
Mysterious Receptions of the celebrated Society of Freemasons; 
containing a true Account of their Ceremonies." London, 1737. 

21 " An Address made to the Body of Free and Accepted Masons, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 25 

Smith ; 22 and the ' Freemasons' Vade Mecum ;' but this 
latter book was condemned by the Grand Lodge as ' a 
piratical silly production, done without leave,' and the 
Brethren were warned not to use it, nor encourage the 
sale thereof. 

"In the meanwhile, Dr. Anderson wrote his celebrated 
Defence of Masonry, in which he treated the work of 
Prichard with great consideration. 23 He took his stand 
on high ground — gave his adversary every fair and reason- 
able advantage, by assuming that if all he had advanced 
were correct, still Masonry would be an admirable insti- 
tution, and answered his book seriatim like a gentleman 
and a scholar. When the Defence came out, and the 
subject was canvassed in the Lodge, some thought he 
had conducted the dispute with greater mildness than the 
fellow deserved ;" but Brother Anderson contended — and 
truly, as I thought at the time — that ' it would be giving 
our opponents too serious an advantage to treat their 
productions, how absurd soever they might be, either 
with flippancy or severity.' 

"He commenced the Defence by conceding certain 
points which were thought to be discreditable to the 
Order. 'Let,' says he, 'for once, this dissection contain 
all the secrets of Freemasonry; admit that every word 
of it is genuine and literally true, yet, under all these 
concessions — under all disadvantages and prejudices 
whatever, I cannot but still believe there have been 
impositions upon mankind more ridiculous, and that 
many have been drawn into a society more pernicious.' 
He then proceeded step by step to prove its manifold 
advantages ; and admitting that ' although Masonry has 
in some circumstances declined from its original purity, 
by running in muddy streams, and as it were under 
ground, yet notwithstanding the great rust it may have 
contracted, and the forbidding light in which it is placed 
by the Dissector, there is still much of the old fabric 
remaining ; the essential pillars of the building may be 

assembled at a Quarterly Communication, holden near Temple Bar, 
December, 11, 1735." Translated into French and German. 

22 "The Freemasons' Pocket Companion, by W. Smith, D. D." 
Thorbuck, London, 1736. 

23 A Defence of Masonry, occasioned by a pamphlet called Masonry- 
Dissected, by James Anderson, D. D. 1730. 



26 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

discovered through the rubbish, though the superstruc- 
ture be overrun with moss and ivy, and the stones by 
length of time disjointed. And, therefore, as the bust 
of an old hero is of great value among the curious, though 
it has lost an eye, the nose, or the right hand, so Masonry, 
with all its blemishes and misfortunes, instead of appear- 
ing ridiculous, ought, in my humble opinion, to be 
received with some candour and esteem, from the vene- 
ration to its antiquity.' 

" The effect of this Defence was electrical. It was 
universally read and admired; and though the attacks 
on Masonry were still continued, — for while the cowan 
was willing to purchase, false Brethren would always 
be found who were ready to sell; they attracted the 
attention of none but the very lowest classes of the peo- 
ple. One of the most eminent members of the Craft, 
on a visit at our Lodge, paid Dr. Anderson a very high 
compliment when proposing the thanks of the Fraternity 
for the service he had rendered to Masonry by the pub- 
lication of the Defence. He said — ' The Freemasons are 
much obliged to the generous intention of the unbiassed 
Author of the Defence ; though some think the inge- 
nious Defender has spent too much fine learning and 
reasoning upon the foolish Dissection that is justly 
despised by the Fraternity, as much as the other pre- 
tended discoveries of their secrets in public newspapers 
and pasquils, all of a sort, for all of them put together 
do not discover the profound and sublime things of old 
Masonry; nor can any man, not a Mason, make use of 
those incoherent smatterings (interspersed with ignorant 
nonsense and gross falsities) among bright Brothers, for 
any purpose but to be laughed at ; our communications 
being of a quite different sort.' The motion of thanks, 
as you may suppose, was carried by acclamation. 

" I have said more about this Defence," continued my 
extraordinary companion, " than may be necessary on 
any future publication, because it constitutes the first 
attempt on record to explain the real working of the 
machinery of the Order. 24 Poor Prichard had the auda- 

24 The curious reader may find the entire Essay in the first volume 
of "The Golden Remains," p. 47; and it is of such sterling excel- 
lence as will amply repay a diligent perusal. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 27 

city to publish a reply, 26 but he soon found, by the 
stinted sale of his book compared with the rapid demand 
for his former production, that Dr. Anderson had spoiled his 
trade, and that no one now gave him credit for veracity. 
He had confessed himself to be a perjured man; and it 
proved fatal to his reputation. From being a whale 
among the minnows, he dwindled into a minnow among 
the whales; and having once sunk into contempt and 
insignificance, he was heard of no more. 

" Dr. Anderson's Defence was followed by an anony- 
mous work, called ' The Beginning and First Foundation 
of the most worthy Craft of Freemasonry,' published in 
17-39; and a French writer, whose book was translated 
into English, although not very complimentary to the 
Order in general, admits ' that the prince and the magis- 
trate here lose nothing of that homage due from their 
inferiors. Nothing is banished but discord and quarrel- 
ling, which, if one moment raises, the next extinguishes, 
and this principle of union and society with which each 
Brother is impressed, becomes the principle of peace 
and quietness, which he preserves without any altera- 
tion until the time when he is required to throw it off, 
only for the purpose of rendering it more universal and 
more durable. What I have just said of the calmness 
and tranquillity which reigns in the Order of Free- 
masons will, without doubt, appear to some an incom- 
prehensible paradox ; but I will proceed, and their 
surprise will increase, when they know that this "union 
is carried to such a pitch, that if two Masons, without 
knowing each other, should quarrel and fight with the 
sword, — upon an intimation that they were both Masons, 
the fury and rage which before animated the combatants, 
would in an instant give place to the most sincere recon- 
ciliation, and the most tender friendship ; and this, if any 
signs should escape either of them, so that his adversary 
should only suspect him to be a member of the same 
Order with himself, his anger would instantly cease, 
and, upon an explanation, a thousand embraces and 
expressions of regard would quench the boiling fury, 
which but a moment before had consigned one or both 
to sure destruction.' 

25 " Masonry further Dissected." London, 1738. 



28 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" The Book of Constitutions becoming scarce in the 
year 1737, Dr. Anderson, who had assisted in the former 
work, prayed for the favour of reprinting it, with the 
transactions of the Society down to the year 1738. This 
being complied with, and the copy delivered, the manage- 
ment of it at the press was entrusted to him. The 
manuscript being approved, the following Resolution 
was unanimously agreed to : — 

" Whereas, at the Grand Lodge, on 24th February, 
1734-5, the Earl of Crauford, Grand Master, being in the 
Chair, Bro. James Anderson, D.D., having represented 
that a new Book of Constitutions was become necessary, 
and that he had prepared materials for it, the Grand Master 
and the Lodge ordered him to lay the same before the 
present and former Grand Officers, as in the Grand Lodge 
Book. And our said Bro. Anderson, having submitted 
his manuscript to the perusal of some former Grand 
Officers, particularly our noble Bro. Richmond, and our 
Bros. Desaguliers, Cowper, Payne, and others, who, after 
making some corrections, have signified their approbation, 
and having next, according to the foresaid order, com- 
mitted his manuscript to the perusal of the present 
Grand Officers, who, having also reviewed and corrected 
it, have declared their approbation of it to the Grand 
Lodge assembled in ample form on the 25th of January, 
1737-8 ; the Grand Lodge then agreed to order our 
said Bro. Anderson to print and publish the said manu- 
script or new Book of Constitutions. And it is hereby 
approved and recommended as the only Book of Consti- 
tutions, for the use of the Lodges of the Free and 
Accepted Masons, by the said Grand Lodge, on the said 
25th January, 1737-8, in the vulgar year of Masonry, 
5737-8. 20 



25 Anderson, in his Dedication to the Prince of Wales, says, 
"Your Royal Highness well knows that our Fraternity has been 
often patronised by royal persons in former ages, whereby architec- 
ture early obtained the title of the ' Royal Art ;' and the Freemasons 
have always endeavoured to deserve that patronage by their loyalty. 
For we meddle not with affairs of State in our Lodges, nor with any 
thing that may give outrage to civil magistrates, that may break the 
harmony of our own communications, or that may weaken the cement 
of the Lodge. And whatever are our different opinions in other 
things, leaving all men to the liberty of conscience, as Masons we 
harmoniously agree in the noble science and the royal art, in the 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 29 

" About this time I had the high honour of witnessing 
some regal initiations. His Royal Highness Francis 
Stephen, Duke of Lorrain, received the two first degrees 
of Masonry at the Hague, by virtue of a deputation from 
Lord Lovel, G.M., for a Lodge there, of which Dr. Desa- 
guliers was the Master; and subsequently he was raised 
to the third degree, along with his Grace the Duke of 
Newcastle, at Houghton Hall, in Norfolk, the seat of Sir 
Robert Walpole. This was in 1731. A few years later, 
viz., on the 15th November, 1737, an occasional Lodge 
was opened at Kew, Dr. Desaguliers being the Master, 
and Bros. Gofton and King the Wardens, where his 
Royal Highness Frederick, Prince of Wales, received 
the two first degrees, and in* due time was raised to the 
degree of a Master Mason in the same place, and by the 
same Officers, although it was not usual to raise a Bro- 
ther in a private Lodge, nor in Grand Lodge, till he was 
elected to the Chair. The Grand Master, however, had 
the power of dispensing with this rule, and also of 
making Masons when and where he pleased. 

" According to an apocryphal legend of Masonry, which 
it is as well to know, although impracticable in later 
times, the ancient Masons were enjoined to initiate their 
candidates at the third, sixth, and ninth hours only ; 
for which custom they assigned these reasons : that it 
was at the third hour of the day that the Holy Ghost 
descended on the Apostles at the Pentecost f 1 at the 
sixth hour Peter went up to the house-top to offer his 
prayers to God, when he was favoured with a celestial 
vision f 3 and at the ninth hour Peter and John went to 
the Temple for the same purpose, and then and there 
healed a man who had been lame from his mother's 
womb. 29 

" Dr. Desaguliers having been a Fellow of the Royal 
Society for some years, the energies of his mind were 
now directed to other pursuits, and he resigned the 
Chair as Master of the Lodge ; in consequnce of which 
your humble servant, being a moveable jewel, fell into 
other hands. The Doctor made many important improve- 

social virtues, in being true and faithful, and in avoiding what may 
give offence to any powers round the globe, under whom we can 
peaceably assemble in ample form." 

27 Acts ii., 1. 28 Ibid, x., 9, 29 Ibid, iii., 1. 



30 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ments in mechanics and communicated some curious 
papers, which are printed in the Philosophical Transac- 
tions. He published a valuable course of Experimental 
Philosophy in two volumes, 4to., and contributed greatly 
to the scientific knowledge of the age in which he 
lived. 20 

" The career of this worthy Brother was marked by 
many essential benefits to Masonry. He established 
several new Lodges, and based them on such sound 
principles, that one of them at least is in existence at 
this very day. The Strong Man Lodge was numbered 
68 in the lists of 1738, 1764, and 1767, and was estab- 
lished according to the former authorities, 2nd February 
1733, and by the latter, February 17th, 1734. 31 Its 
origin is somewhat extraordinary, and worth hearing. 

30 The following sketch of this eminent Mason's life may be in- 
teresting. He was the son of a French Protestant clergyman, and 
born at Kochelle on the 12th March, 1683. His father came to Eng- 
land while he was an infant, and having taught him the classics, 
sent him to finish his education at Christ Church, in Oxford. In 1702 
he was so far distinguished as to be elected, on the retirement of 
Dr. Keil, to read courses of experimental philosophy in Hart Hall. 
He settled in Westminster on his marriage in 1712, and continued 
his philosophical lectures there. Two years later he was named a 
F. R. S., to which he contributed a great number of papers on scientific 
subjects. About this time we find him flourishing under the patron- 
age of the Duke of Chandos, who presented to him the living of 
Edgware; and he was appointed chaplain to H. R. H. Frederick 
Prince of Wales. After having acquired a world-wide reputation as 
a zealous and talented Mason, he removed to lodgings over the great 
piazza in Covent Garden, and carried on his lectures till his death in 
1749. He was a member of several foreign literary societies, and a 
corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris. 
He obtained from many competitors the Prize given by the King of 
France for the best treatise on Electricity. He published a '' Course 
of Experimental Philosophy," 2 vols. 4to. ; and an edition of "Gre- 
gory's Elements of Catoptrics and Dioptrics," with an Appendix, 
containing an account of Reflecting Telescopes. 8vo. 

31 It appears by the Records of Grand Lodge, that a warrant, 
bearing date the 2nd day of February, 1734, was issued under the 
seal of Masonry, enabling certain Brethren therein named to open 
and hold a Lodge of Freemasons at the Ship Coffee House, Hermit- 
age Bridge, London, to be called " The Strong Man Lodge," which 
was numbered 110; but, by the general closing up of the list of 
Lodges in the year 1740, it became No. 98. By the closing up of 
the list of Lodges in the year 1756, it became 6S. In the year 1770 
the said Lodge became 57. By the closing up of the list of Lodges in 
the year 1781, it became No. 44 ; and by the same process in the 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 31 

" About the year 1730, or it might be a year or two 
later, the attention of Brother Desaguliers was attracted 
by reports of the great strength and muscular power of 
a man named Thomas Topham, who kept the Red Lion 
public-house, nearly opposite the old hospital of St. 
Luke, and was called, by way of eminence, the Strong 
Man. It appears that he settled down in this locality, 
from its vicinity to the famous ring in Moorfields, where 
athletic exercises were performed, — such as boxing, 
wrestling, sword-play, and cudgelling, under the super- 
intendence of Old Vinegar, whom I remember well. As 
was his name so was his nature. A most truculent- 
looking fellow, with a flat nose, swelled cheeks, low 
forehead, broad across the back, shoulder-of-mutton-fists, 
and the strength of a giant ; and yet Topham found no 
difficulty in lowering his pride ; and he overthrew him in 
the ring as if he had been made of cork, amidst the shouts 
and halloos of the fancy, and to the supreme delight of 
those whom the potency of Old Vinegar had hitherto 
forced to succumb. 

"The first public feat which Bro. Desaguliers saw 
Topham perform for the purpose of actually testing his 
strength was this. A powerful cart-horse was harnessed 
and placed on one side of the low wall which then divided 
the upper from the lower Moorfields, and Topham on the 
other. Taking hold of the end of the traces, the fellow 
planted his feet firmly against the wall, and told the 
spectators to flog the horse, which they did, without 
producing any effect ; for the biped proved to be the 
most powerful animal of the two. He afterwards pulled 
against a pair of horses ; and Dr. Desaguliers was firmly 
persuaded that ' if placed in a proper position, he would 
have sustained the efforts of four horses, without the 
least inconvenience.' I have witnessed several other in- 
stances of his personal strength," continued the Square, 
" but the repetition of them will not be interesting to 
you. 

"Poor Topham' With all his strength he was as 

year 1792, it became No. 41. In consequence of the union of the two 
Fraternities of Freemasons on the 27th day of December, 1813, it 
became, and is now registered in the books of the United Grand Lodge, 
No. 61 ; and meets at the Swan Tavern, Mansel-street, Goodman's 
Fields, London. 



32 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

meek as a lamb, and a perfect slave at home, for his 
termagant helpmate led him a very unquiet life ; and, in 
the end, ruined him, and forced him from his dwelling. 
It was at this point of time that Dr. Desaguliers became 
his friend and patron ; for, as a Professor of Experimental 
Philosophy, he took great interest in his performances. 
He placed him in another public-house at the Hermitage, 
with the sign of the Ship; and, after making him a 
Mason, established a Lodge at his house as a means of 
increasing his business by the introduction of his friends. 
And, I must say, the Lodge was well conducted, with 
Bro. Desaguliers at its head as the Master; and increased 
rapidly in numbers and respectability. Its cognizance 
was the redoubtable Thomas Topham matching his 
strength against that of a horse, with his feet propped 
by the fragment of a wall ; and its name, The Strong 
Man Lodge. Topham, however, unfortunately took to 
drinking, and the business fell into other hands; but the 
Lodge prospered, and was considered a crack establish- 
ment when the poor fellow and his patron were no 
more." 



33 



CHAPTER III. 

PROCESSIONS. MARTIN CLARE, A. M. 

1740—1747. 



" Regard not who it is that speaketh, but weigh only what is 
spoken." — Hooker. 

" All such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know." 
— Solomon. 

" You shall understand, my dear friends, that amongst the excel- 
lent acts of that king, one above all hath the pre-eminence. It was 
the erection and institution of an Order, or Society, which we call 
Solomon's House, the noblest foundation (as we think) that ever was 
upon earth, and the lantern of this kingdom. It is dedicated to the 
study of the works and creatures of God." — Lord Bacon. 



"The Brother, whose property I had now become," 
continued the Square, "was Master of the Lodge No. 2, 
at the Horn Tavern, New Palace Yard, Westminster, 
the old Lodge which formerly met at the Rummer and 

Grapes, and he was an expert ruler. He ." (Here 

the Square communicated several particulars about the 
method of conducting a Lodge in those times, which, 
though very curious and important, I am bound to hold 
sacred, as I cannot make them public without incurring 
the penalty of the unfortunate Prichard. It appears 
that the Master was a strict disciplinarian, and, under his 
instructions, the Brethren made a rapid progress in the 
knowledge of Masonry, although he entertained some 
absurdities which he communicated only to a few select 
Brothers in private ; one of which, not being of any great 
importance to Masonry, I may mention without violating 
a sacred pledge. For instance, he taught them that 
Adam, our first parent, constructed a stone in the form 
of an oblong square, or double cube, and placed it over 
the grave of of his beloved son Abel, who had been slain 
by his brother, inscribed with the history of the transac- 
tion in hieroglyphical characters; and this, he told them, 
was the origin of the same custom amongst the Egyp- 



34 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tians ! I had great difficulty here to restrain myself from 
uttering an exclamation. The principal symbol which 
it contained, was the Mark placed on the forehead of 
Cain by the finger of God, viz., the Tau Cross, — the 
emblem of life. And thus this protective landmark was 
communicated to mankind, that no one might violate 
the divine command by depriving him of existence. And 
our imaginative Master was bold enough to add, that 
this mark was the talisman used by Moses to protect the 
Israelites from the devastations of the destroying angel 
in the wilderness of Arabia.) 

" Although the Master was inflexibly rigid," my com- 
panion continued, "in the discharge of his duty, and in 
exacting from others the same rule of conduct which he 
imposed on himself, yet, when the Lodge was closed, 
and supper placed on the table — hey presto! — he was 
quite another man. No one was more jocose or full of 
spirits than he was. He sang a good song, cracked his 
joke, and was the life of the company. No prosy 
speeches would he allow, for he said time was precious 
at that hour of the night, and he was determined to 
make the most of it. As an agreeable relaxation, he 
introduced an amusement called 'crambo,' a practice 
which contributed to the merriment of the Lodge, during 
the hours appropriated to refreshment, for many years. 
You don't know what it is? Then I'll tell you. The 
Master starts the game with a line of poetry, ending 
with some rhyme which is capable of considerable exten- 
sion ; and each Brother, under a fine — which in those 
days was an extra glass of punch — was obliged to im- 
provise a corresponding verse in the same measure, and 
terminating in the same jingle. For instance, to give 
you an example in point ; one evening, after supper, the 
Brethren were in a merry cue, and the game commenced 
by an observation of the Master respecting a young lady 
of good fortune, a friend of his, whom he was afraid was 
about to sacrifice herself to a fellow who had no real 
regard for anything but her money ; and was consulting 
with his friends what they would advise as the most 
effectual means of extricating her from his toils, when 
the following crambonian category was elicited amidst 
roars of laughter : — 

"'His name's Mr. Power,' says the Master; 



.. i 



ii i 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 35 

"'Then tell Mr. Power,' Dr. Anderson began, 
"'That she has no dower,' chimed in Bro. Villeneau; 
And he'll speedily cower,' Bro. Noyes added; 
And droop like a flower,' said Bro. Gofton ; 
His forehead will lower,' Bro. Morrice snapped in ; 
And he'll look very sour,' shouted Bro. Lamball, 
with a vociferous ha! ha! ha! — in which the whole 
company participated with a hearty good-will. 

'"He'lL forsake her snug bower,' resumed Bro. De 
Vaux ; 

'"And he'll grin, gape, and glower,' said Bro. Revis, 
the Grand Secretary; 

'"He'll be off in an hour,' added Bro. Dr. Schomberg; 

"'And away he will scour,' replied Bro. Shergold; 

"'Defying her power,' lisped Bro. Sir J. Mansell, in 

his very mild tone of voice ; and ' Well done, Mansell, — 

ha! ha! ha!' made the glasses on the supper-table jingle 

with the concussion. 1 

"The Master was fond of a song, as I have already 
observed," my informant continued; "and, as hard drink- 
ing was the vice of the times, the following chorus was 
a favourite with the Lodge : — 

" He that will not merry merry be, 
With a generous bowl and a toast, 
May he in Bridewell be shut up, 
And fast bound to a post. 
Let him be merry merry there, 
And we'll be merry merry here ; 
For who does know where we shall go, 
To be merry another year ! 2 

1 In the old MS. from which much of the above "Revelations" has 
been extracted, my late father, the Rev. S. Oliver, says, that when a 
young man he was acquainted with an aged Mason, who was initiated 
in the year 1740, and he told him that this amusement was common 
in the Lodges of that period. And he gives a few specimens, 
amongst which is the above. I subjoin a crambo by Dr. Sheridan, 
the friend of Swift, under date of 1736, which is somewhat better : — 

" Our river is dry, 
And fiery the sky: 
I fret and I fry, 
Just ready to die ; 
O, where shall I fly, 
From Phcebus's eye? 
In bed when I lie, 
I soak like a pie ; 
And I sweat, and I sweat, 
Like a hog in a sty !" 

The French Bouts Rimes were something similar to this. 

2 The whole song may be found in the Glasgow edition of "The 
Freemason's Pocket Companion," 1771. 



36 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"Thus the song, the toast, the jest, and merry laugh 
passed away the time till midnight was announced from 
the neighbouring church clock; and then hats, swords, 
and canes were in requisition, for the party was broken 
up at once by the Master's 'right word and point of a 
Mason — Adieu.' The Lodge prospered under his judi- 
cious management. 

"While embodying these transactions in your imagi- 
nation, I must caution you," said the Master's Jewel, 
which I found to be rather facetiously inclined, "not to 
raise up before your mind's eye an assembly of Brethren 
habited in the costume to which you have been habitu- 
ated; for if you, sir, in your present dress, had made 
your appearance among them, you would have created 
shouts of more extatic laughter than either punning or 
crambo. No, sir, you must see them as they actually 
were, if you would form a true idea of the scene. They 
wore square-cut coats and long-flapped waistcoats with 
pockets in them; the coats had long hanging cuffs, and 
the skirts were stiffened out with buckram and wire, to 
show the hilt of the sword. They had lace neckcloths 
and ruffles; blue or red silk stockings, with gold or silver 
clocks, drawn over the breeches to meet the pocket- 
flaps of the waistcoat, and gartered below the knee; 
square-toed and short-quartered shoes, with high red 
heels and small silver buckles. Then they had on vari- 
ous kinds of wigs, and small three-cornered hats laced 
with gold or silver, and trimmed with feathers; all 
formal, clean, and spruce, and in every respect a striking 
contrast to the fashionable costume of the present day." 
The Square then proceeded with its revelations. 

"My next move was to the breast of a very showy and 
self-sufficient gentleman, — a man of ample fortune, but 
very superficial, and famous for nothing but his versa- 
tility and want of firmness. He seldom knew his own 
mind on any given subject whether in religion or poli- 
tics, for eight and forty hours together. To-day he was 
a Whig, to-morrow a Tory, and the next something very 
different from both. In religion he was sometimes high 
church, sometimes low church, but more frequently 
neither one nor the other. In a word, he was unani- 
mously pronounced a universal genius ! I have known 
many universal geniuses in my time, though, to speak 
my mind freely, I never knew one who, for the ordinary 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 37 

purposes of life, was worth his weight in straw ; but, for 
the government of a Lodge, a little sound judgment and 
plain common sense is worth all the sparkling genius 
that ever wrote poetry or invented theories. He was 
exceedingly fond of trying philosophical and political 
experiments ; and having stuffed his head full of scraps 
and remnants of ancient republics, and oligarchies, and 
aristocracies, and monarchies, and the laws of Solon, and 
Lycurgus, and Charondas, and the imaginary common- 
wealth of Plato, and the pandects of Justinian, and a 
thousand other fragments of venerable antiquity, he was 
for ever bent upon introducing some one or other of them 
into use; so that between one contradictory measure 
and another, he entangled the government of the Lodge 
in more knots during his administration than half-a-dozen 
successors could have untied. 3 

" He had been a Junior Warden under Dr. Desaguliers ; 
but that discerning Brother entertained some doubts 
whether his pretensions were sterling, and, therefore, hesi- 
tated to promote him to a higher and more responsible 
office. His imperfections soon manifested themselves, 
and the Brethren who placed him in the chair lived to 
repent of their choice. He formed several magnificent 
schemes for the advancement of Masonry, but did not 
possess sufficient stability to carry them into effect ; like 
the Dutch mountebank who took a run of three miles to 
leap over a hill, but changing his mind during this prelimi- 
nary step, when he arrived at its foot, he sat quietly 
down and declared himself unable to accomplish the 
feat. Or like the Uperephanos of Brathwait, 

" He still thought, 
That the world without him would be brought to nought ; 
For when the dogge-starre raged, he used to cry, 
' No other Atlas has the world but I. 
I am only Hee, supports the state ; 
Cements divisions, shuts up Janus' gate ; 
Improves the public frame, chalks out the way 
How princes should command — subjects obey — 
Nought passes my discovery, for my sense 
Extends itself to all intelligence.' " 

3 A passage similar to the above may be found in Knickerbocker's 
description of William the Testy; and we must leave it to the reader 
to determine whether Washington Irving had it by communication 
with our rvcoQiofia, or whether we copied it from him. 
4 



38 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"This wonderful man piqued himself on his oratorical 
powers, and frequently wearied the patience of the 
Brethren by his dull and unmeaning harangues on the 
most trifling subjects. I remember on one occasion 
some topic was under discussion — I think it was on the 
proprietry of masonic processions — which had been a 
fruitful subject of ridicule to the wits of London. A 
great difference of opinion prevailed amongst the Craft 
on this question, and our Lodge was so nicely balanced 
in point of numbers, pro and con, that any Master of com- 
mon understanding would have found no difficulty in 
turning the scale in favour of his own views, on which 
side soever it might be. In this exigency what did our 
sapient Master do? Why, he made a speech, in which 
he took a view of the arguments on both sides of the 
question, and proceeding carefully by the strictest rules 
of logic, and a display of the soundest erudition, but all 
to no purpose, he balanced them so equally that every 
Brother in the Lodge congratulated himself that his 
opinions would be triumphant; and when the Master sat 
down, I heard him whisper to a Brother on his right 
hand, 'Now, do you know, from what I have said, which 
side of the question my own opinion favours?' — ' Indeed, I 
confess myself at a loss to determine.' — ' Then I have 
accomplished my point,' replied this sapient officer, ' for 
my ambition was to make a speech which should please 
both parties.' And when the question was put to the 
v(^e, he found himself in a minority. Not very compli- 
mentary to his tact and judgment, was it? 

" Our politic Master was, at this time, building a hand- 
some mansion at the west end of the town, and. when it 
was nearly completed, he boasted one evening, in a set 
speech, of the pure Augustan style in which his dining- 
room was to be finished and decorated, in all the antique 
splendour that Gothic architecture could furnish. It 
was to be a perfect gem ; and in the peroration of his 
speech, he announced his intention of opening it with a 
grand masonic dinner, to which he invited all the mem- 
bers then present. The announcement was, of course, 
received with cheers. Amidst the acclamations of the 
Lodge he sat down, and a Brother whispered in his ear, 
'When do you think it will be finished?' — 'Never for 
that purpose,' replied the Master. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 39 

"This erudite chief had concocted a notable scheme 
for distinguishing his year of office as a remarkable 
epoch, which had caused him more anxiety to bring into 
a disposable form, than any other subject he was ever 
known to entertain. It was an invention peculiarly his 
own, and he plumed himself upon it with more than 
common pride. In introducing it to the notice of the 
Lodge, his opening speech was flowery and rhetorical. 
He denominated his plan a grand panacea which would 
obviate all objections to Masonry, and create a universal 
sensation in its favor. ' The idea,' he said, ' is novel, 
pleasing, and practicable ; it has never entered the head of 
mortal Mason, and I am the only individual who has been 
inspired with the vast design. My star is in the ascend- 
ant, and I do not doubt but a niche in the temple of 
fame is reserved for me, as the author of a magnificent 
project, wmich will render Freemasonry the envy of all 
other social institutions.' 

"He went on in this style for a considerable length of 
time, the Brethren waiting with commendable patience 
for the development of his proposal. And what do you 
think it was ? You cannot guess, and so I may as well 
tell you at once ; it was a Masonic Ball ! ! ! The Breth- 
ren were taken by surprise at this unexpected announce- 
ment, so alien to the genuine principles of Masonry, and 
scarcely knew what to say. After they had recollected 
themselves by a pause of a few minutes' duration, the ab- 
surdity of the proposal struck them as so perfectly 
ridiculous, that, though from motives of decorum and 
respect for the Chair, they endeavoured to stifle their 
sense of the ludicrous, the effort was unsuccessful, and 
they gave vent to their feelings by a loud and universal 
peal of laughter, which they found it impossible to re- 
strain. 

"'A what?' shouted Bro. Lamball, 'A masonic ball?' 
which was succeeded by another general laugh. And 
Bro. Villeneau repeated the lines from Phaedrus : 

'Mons parturibat, gemitus ioimanes ciens; 
Eratque in terris maxima ex spectatio ; 
At ille murem peperit;' 

which was the signal for cachinnation the third. 



40 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" ' On what law of Masonry do you found the legality 
of your scheme?' said Bro. Morris. 

"The E. W. M. was unable to furnish either law or 
precedent for his delectable scheme, and, therefore, he 
staved off the enquiry by demanding in return: 'On 
what law do you found the legality of Refreshment?' 

" 'On the second clause of the sixth Ancient Charge,' 
said Bro. Morris. 

" At length Bro. Desaguliers, who happened to be pre- 
sent, rose with great gravity, and addressing the Chair, 
said: 

'"R. W. Sir, the proposal you have just submitted to 
the Lodge is so thoroughly alien to the principles of Ma- 
sonry, that I am scarcely surprised at the indecorous 
exhibition we have just witnessed, but which, I hope, for 
the credit of the Lodge, will never be repeated while the 
S. Warden's column is in the ascendant. Supposing, for 
the sake of argument, that the Brethren were inclined to 
indulge you by acceding to your unprecedented proposi- 
tion, they would be incapable of executing the design, 
without committing a gross violation of the general Con- 
stitutions of the Order. Are you aware, R. W. Sir, that 
a standing law provides that it is not in the power of any 
man, or body of men, to make any alteration or innova- 
tion in the body of Masonry, without the consent first 
obtained of the Grand Lodge? and this, Sir and Brother, 
would be an innovation which no Grand Lodge could 
ever be found to sanction or approve.' 

"After Dr. Desaguliers had thus expressed a decided 
negative opinion on the subject, the Master, sufficiently 
mortified, withdrew his motion, and we never again 
heard of the anomaly of a masonic ball. 

"But a truce to this gossip. I turn to the literary 
proceedings of the period, for I was now appropriated by 
the celebrated Martin Clare, A. M., F. R. S., D. G. M. 
in 1741, who had already distinguished himself by his 
zeal and intelligence on several occasions, and had done 
good service to Masonry by an address, which has been 
already referred to. In this document he made a few 
observations on those improprieties which are most likely 
to discompose the harmony of a Lodge ; and then pro- 
ceeded to show at large what the errors and deviations 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 41 

were which it would be desirable to avoid by a society 
of gentlemen, united by the bonds of brotherhood, 
and under the strictest ties of mutual love and forbear- 
ance. 

" His grave and quiet method of delivery made a strong 
impression on the audience ; and its conclusion, in these 
impressive words, was received with loud approbation : 
'It has been long,' said he, 'and still is, the glory and 
happiness of this Society, to have its interests espoused 
by the great, the noble, and the honoured of the land. 
Persons who, after the example of the wisest and the 
grandest of kings, esteem it neither condescension nor 
dishonour to patronize and encourage the professors of 
the Craft. It is our duty, in return, to do nothing incon- 
sistent with this favour ; and, being members of this 
body, it becomes us to act in some degree suitable to the 
honour we receive from our illustrious head. If this be 
done at our general meetings, every good and desirable 
end will very probably be promoted among us. The 
Craft will have the advantage of being governed by 
good, wholesome, and dispassionate laws; the business 
of the Grand Lodge will be smoothly and effectually 
carried on : your Grand Officers will communicate their 
sentiments, and receive your opinions and advice with 
pleasure and satisfaction ; particular societies will become 
still more regular, from what their representatives should 
observe here. In a word, true and ancient Masonry will 
flourish; and those that are without, will soon come to 
know that there are more substantial pleasures to be 
found, as well as greater advantages to be reaped, in our 
Society, orderly conducted, than can possibly be met 
with in any other bodies of men, how magnificent soever 
their pretensions may be ; for none can be so amiable as 
that which promotes brotherly love, and fixes that as the 
grand cement of all our actions ; to the performance of 
which we are bound by an obligation, both solemn and 
awful, and that entered into by our free and delibe- 
rate choice ; and as it is to direct our lives and actions, it 
can never be too often repeated, nor too frequently in- 
culcated.' 

"At this time rumours were whispered in the Metro- 
politan Lodges, that the Order was subjected to great 



42 THE FwEVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

persecutions in Switzerland, 4 Germany, 5 Italy, 6 France 7 
and Holland ; 8 and that edicts and decrees were thundered 
out against it in all those countries ; and although it was 
admitted that nothing had been discovered in the beha- 
viour or practices of the Fraternity contrary to the public 
peace, or to the duty of good subjects, yet the several 
governments were, nevertheless, determined that the 
Lodges of Freemasons should be entirely abolished. 

" These unprecedented measures excited in the English 
Fraternity such a feeling of disgust, that a few influen- 
tial Brethren united themselves together for the purpose 
of considering what would be the most eligible and 
effectual method of showing the utter absurdity and 
impolicy of such a line of conduct ; and in 1739 a pam- 

4 The magistrates of Berne issued an ordinance in these words : — 
"We do, by these presents, henceforth and for ever forbid, annul, 
and abolish the Societies of Freemasons in all our territories and dis- 
tricts, to all persons that now are, or shall hereafter come into our 
dominions ; and we do ordain and decree, that all those our citizens 
and subjects who are actually known to be Freemasons, shall be 
obliged immediately to abjure by oath the engagement they have 
taken in the said society without delay. And all persons who shall 
frequent such assemblies shall be subject to a fine of 100 crowns 
without remission, and be incapable of holding any place of trust, 
benefit, or employment whatever." 

5 The persecutions in Germany were occasioned by the jealousy of 
some ladies belonging to the court, who being disappointed in their 
endeavours to obtain a knowledge of the secret through the agency 
of certain persons whom they induced to be initiated for that purpose, 
inflamed the mind of the empress against the society. But the per- 
secution was defeated by the emperor himself, who undertook to be 
responsible for the conduct of the Masons in their Lodges, and to 
redress any grievances of which they were found guilty. 

6 A papal Bull of this period (1738) commanded all persons to 
abstain from the society of Freemasons, under a penalty of 1,000 
crowns of gold, and incurring excommunication ijyso facto, from which 
no one was able to give absolution but the Pope himself. 

7 In the year 1737 a persecution was commenced, under the plea 
that the pretence of secrecy might be used to cover some dangerous 
design which might affect the religion, the peace, and prosperity of 
the kingdom. 

8 An edict was issued by the States of Holland, intimating that al- 
though they had not discovered anything in the behaviour or practice 
of the Freemasons contrary to the peace of the republic, or to the 
duty of good subjects, they were resolved, nevertheless, to prevent 
any bad consequences that might ensue from such conventions, and, 
therefore, commanded that they should be entirely abolished. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 43 

phlet, written in French, was published in Dublin," 
under the title of ' An Apology for the Society of Free- 
masons.' It appeared in the same year in an English 
form, translated, as was generally supposed, by Martin 
Clare. It created a great sensation, and promoted the 
translator to the office of D. G. M. He had been already 
officially authorized to revise the Lodge Lectures, and to 
make such alterations and improvements as, in his judg- 
ment, the present state of the Order might require, 
always preserving inviolate the ancient landmarks. And 
his version of the Lectures was so judiciously drawn up, 
that its practice was enjoined on all the Lodges under 
the Constitution of England ; and all former Lectures 
were abrogated, and pronounced obsolete. 

" In this formula, the symbol of a point within a circle 
was introduced for the first time ; and it is a singular 
fact, that although the original interpretation was simple 
enough, yet several meanings w T ere soon attached to it 
by fanciful expositors, differing in reference, but agreeing 
in fact. And this diversity of opinion, as I should 
conceive," my companion added, with some allusion to 
my own individual judgment, " constitutes one of the 
peculiar excellences of the Craft ; for, however the defi- 
nition may have been amplified and extended, the results, 
when the several arguments were wound up and applied, 
pretty nearly corresponded with the original application 
of Martin Clare. For whether the point be Time, as 
some think, and the circle Eternity, or whether the 
former be an individual Mason circumscribed by the 
circle of virtue, the result will be the same ; for virtue 
is boundless as universal space ; and as the body of man 
may be accounted a fit representative of Time, so is his 
soul of Eternity. In the same Lectures, the numbers 3, 
5, and 7, were applied, in strict conformity with ancient 
usage, to the Trinity, the Senses, and the Institution of a 
Sabbath. The Jewish Masons subsequently (for we had 
no Hebrews amongst us at that period), repudiated this 
primitive application, and substituted the following : — 

9 "An Apology for the Free and Accepted Masons, occasioned by 
their persecution in the Canton of Berne ; with the present state of 
Masonry in Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, and Holland. By J. 
G., D.M.F.M." Dublin, Patrick Odoroko, 1739. 



44 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

'Three rule a Lodge, — in allusion to the most sacred 
parts of the Temple of Solomon ; viz., the Porch, the 
Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. Five hold a Lodge, 
in reference to the sacred treasures of the Sanctum Sanc- 
torum, viz., the Ark of Alliance, the Golden Censer, the 
Sacred Roll, the Rod of Aaron, and the Pot of Manna. 
Seven make a Lodge perfect, in allusion to the seven 
chief Degrees conferred by King Solomon, and to the 
years employed in building the Temple.' 

"At the Grand Lodge, when Martin Clare was ap- 
pointed Deputy Grand Master, I recollect perfectly well 
the Festival was celebrated in Haberdashers' Hall, March 
19, 1741, several old Masons being present, including 
Past Grand Masters Payne, Desaguliers, the Earls of 
Loudon and Darnley, and the Marquis of Caernarvon, 
with a numerous train of noble and worthy Brothers, 
and several distinguished foreign members of the Craft. 
The twelve Stewards, and a great number of other Breth- 
ren, in their proper clothing, waited on the Earl of 
Morton, Grand Master Elect, at his house in New Bond 
Street ; and after being there entertained at breakfast, had 
a public procession to Haberdashers' Hall, in carriages, 
attended by three bands of music. At the Hall gate, the 
Stewards received the cavalcade, and conducted the 
Grand Officers through the Hall into an inner chamber, 
the Deputy Grand Master carrying the Grand Master's 
Jewel. Here the Grand Lodge was opened, and our 
friend Martin Clare was publicly complimented by the 
Grand Master, and also by Bros. Payne and Desaguliers, 
the latter of whom moved a vote of thanks to him for 
his new version of the Lectures, in which he pronounced 
them to be a lively elucidation of the most ancient 
method of working a Lodge. 

"The above ceremonial, and another of the same kind 
in the following year, each of which was attended with 
a public procession in coaches, originated a caricature 
and broadside, which were published in ridicule of the 
proceedings. The former was entitled, ' The solemn and 
stately Procession of the Scald Miserable Masons, as it 
was martialed on Thursday, the 18th day of this instant 
April;' and the latter was headed, 'A geometrical view 
of the Grand Procession of the Scald Miserable Masons, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 45 

designed as they were drawn up over against Somerset 
House in the Strand, on the 27th day of April, 1742.' 10 
And what sort of a procession do you think it was? 
You shall hear. 

"First came two Tylers, in yellow cockades and live- 
ries ; then the Apprentices, armed with drawn swords to 
keep off all cowans and listeners ; after which came the 
band of music, consisting of four cows' horns, as many 
tea-canisters, filled with broken glass, four shovels beaten 
with brushes, two double-bass dripping-pans, a frying- 
pan, a salt-box, and a pair of tubs for kettle-drums. 
Then followed six lean horses with funeral habiliments, 
and the arms of Hiram Abiff, a brick waggon for a hearse, 
on which was a bier of tubs covered with a chimney- 
sweeper's cloth, and on each side was a double rank of 
Brethren, bearing escutcheons, and other funereal sym- 
bols. 11 After this came another band of music similar to 
the above, the performers being mounted upon donkeys. 
Then the Grand Sword Bearers preceding the Grand 
Master 12 in a dust-cart, and followed by the Grand Offi- 

10 A few additional passages in this amusing paper, which produced 
a great deal of uproarious mirth amongst the Fraternity at the time, 
may not be unacceptable by way of note. It commenced with a 
"Remonstrance of the Right Worshipful the Grand Master of the 
Scald Miserable Masons, in which he claims a seniority over all other 
societies, whether Grand Volgi, Gregorians, Hurlothrumbians, Ubi- 
quarians, Hiccubites, Lumber Troopers, or Freemasons; and dis- 
claims all relation or alliance whatsoever with the latter Society, 
because, as he asserts, it would tend to the sacrifice of his own dig- 
nity, the impeachment of his understanding, and the disgrace of his 
solemn mysteries." 

11 The entire description runs thus : " Six stately unfledged horses, 
with funeral habiliments and caparisons, carrying escutcheons of the 
arms of Hyram Abyff; viz., a Master's Lodge, drawing, in a limping, 
halting posture, with solemn pomp, a superb open hearse, nine feet 
long, four feet wide, and having a clouded canopy, inches and feet 
innumerable in perpendicular height, very nearly resembling a brick 
waggon. In the midst, upon a throne of tubs raised for that pur- 
pose, lays the corpse in a coffin, cut out of one entire ruby ; but, for 
decency's sake is covered with a chimney-sweeper's stop cloth, at the 
head a memorable sprig of cassia. Around in mournful order placed, 
the loving, weeping Brethren sit with their aprons — their gloves they 
have put in their pockets ; at the top and at bottom, on every side, 
and everywhere all round about, this open hearse is bestuck with 
escutcheons and streamers, some bearing the arms, and some his 
crest." 

12 "The equipage of the G. M. 5 " so runs the document, "being 



46 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

cers 13 iii carts, each drawn by four donkeys ; the proces- 
sion closing with probationists and candidates. 

"This good-natured burlesque afforded the Craft much 
amusement ; but in the year 1745 it was followed by an 
actual procession, got up by some unfaithful Brethren 
who had been disappointed in their expectations of the 
high offices and honours of Masonry, and had enlisted a 
number of low characters and buffoons in a scheme to 
exhibit a mockery of the public processions of the Craft. 
But while these proceedings were a source of mirth to 
the gaping crowd, the Fraternity were disgusted, and 
determined in future to confine their operations within 
the limits of their own assembly; and the Grand Festi- 
val itself was suspended for several years. 

"At one of our Lodges during the Mastership of 
Martin Clare, a question was mooted respecting the 
meaning of the sixth Ancient Charge : ' No private 
piques, no quarrels about nations, families, religions, or 
politics, must be brought within the door of the Lodge ; 
for, as Masons, we are of the oldest Catholic religion above 
hinted ;' which refers to the following passage in the first 
Charge : ' In ancient times the Christian Masons were 
charged to comply with the Christian usages of each 
country, where they travelled or worked ; but Masonry 
being found in all nations, even of divers religions, they 

neatly nasty, delicately squalid, and magnificently ridiculous beyond 
all human bounds and conceivings. On the right the G. M. Pony, with 
compasses for his Jewel, appendant to a blue ribbon round his neck. On 

the left, his Excellency Jack, with a square hanging to a white 

ribbon, as Gr. M. elect; the Hon. Nic. Baboon, Esq., S. G. W., with 
his Jewel, being the Level, all of solid gold and blue ribbon ; Mr. 
Balaam von Asinam, J. Gr. W., with his Jewel, the Plum-Rule." 

13 "Attendants of honour. The Gr. Sw. B. carrying the Sword of 
State. It is worth observing that this sword was sent as a present 
by Ishmael Abiff, a relation in direct descent to poor old Hyram, 
King of the Saracens, to his Grace of Watlin, Gr. M. of the Holy 
Lodge of St. John of Jerusalem in Clerkenwell, who stands upon our 
list of Grand Masters for the same year. The G. Sec. with his in- 
signia, &c. Tickets to be had for 3 megs a carcass to scran the 
pannum boxes, at the Lodge in Brick Street, &c. Note. — No gen- 
tlemen's coaches or whole garments are admitted in our procession or 
at the feast." Copies of the caricature have been published by Hone 
in England, and Clavel in France; the former professing to have 
taken his version from the original Broadside : and the latter from 
the collection of Bro. Morison of Greenfield, but they differ in many 
essential particulars. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 47 

are now only charged to adhere to that religion in which 
all men agree.' 14 

" A Brother present opened the Book of Common 
Prayer, which was always in the Lodge, and explained 
the phrase, oldest Catholic religion, by a reference to the 
Tc Deum composed in the 4th century by St. Ambrose — 
' The Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknow- 
ledge Thee ;' concluding that it must mean Christianity, 
which was typified in the two earliest dispensations 
known in the world, viz., those of the Patriarchs and the 
Jews ; when Martin Clare delivered his opinion in words 
to the following effect : ' I have had several long and 
interesting conversations with Bros. Payne, Desaguliers, 
and Anderson on this very subject: and it is evident 
from their researches, that the belief of our ancient 
Brethren favoured the opinion that Masonry is essentially 
Christian ; that it is indebted to Christianity for its 
principles ; that in all ages the English Fraternity con- 
sisted exclusively of Christians ; and that, therefore, the 
religion in which all men agree was the Christian reli- 
gion. The ancient Charges, which are now before us, 
were extracted from old masonic records of Lodges, not 
only in Great Britain, but in foreign countries; and at 
the time when those records were originally compiled, 
the religion in which all men agreed was the general re- 
ligion of Christendom — of the Holy Church throughout 
all the world, which, as has justly been observed, the Te 
Deum pronounces to be Christianity. The most ancient 
manuscript which passed through the hands of Bros. 
Desaguliers and Anderson during their researches, gives 
a decided affirmation to this doctrine, as may be gathered 
from the following passage : 

Bysechynge hym of hys hye grace, 

To stonde with zow yn every place, 

To conferme the statutes of kynge Adelston, 

That he ordeynt to thys Craft by good reson, 

Pray we now to God almyght, 

And to hys swete moder Mary bryght, 

That we mowe kepe these artyculus here, 

And these poyntes wel al y-fere, 

***** 

And as thou were of a mayd y-bore, 
Sofre me never to be y-lore ; 

14 See the Ancient Charges in "Anderson's Const." Ed. 1738. 



48 THE REAELATIONS OF A SQUARE, 

But when y schal hennus -wende, 
Grante me the blysse withoute ende ; 
Amen ! amen ! so mot hyt be. 

This manuscript is supposed to have been compiled in 
the time of Athelstan, and I should, therefore, conceive 
its authority to be decisive.' 

11 In the above-mentioned year I had passed to a new 
Master and a new Lodge ; and the first conversation I 
heard was on the subject of a pretended revelation of 
Martin Clare's revised lectures and ceremonies, in a 
book called 'The Testament of a Mason;' 15 where it was 
feigned that the formula had been found amongst the 
papers of a deceased Brother high in office, and, conse- 
quently, might fairly be presumed to contain the real 
secrets of the Order. The question was asked, Who is 
the author ? and it was subsequently traced to one of 
the unfaithful Brothers who had been disappointed 
in his expectations of being nominated to a Grand 
Office. 

" During the same year, if my memory be faithful, a 
Brother was introduced into our Lodge, whose name was 
Coustos. He was a foreigner, and not wanting in 
assurance. A great sensation, however, was created, 
when he exhibited some scars which betokened very 
severe wounds, that had been inflicted, as he affirmed, by 
torture in the Inquisition, at Lisbon, to extort from him 
the secrets of Freemasonry. It appeared, by his own 
account, that he had resisted both persuasion and force ; 
and that his final escape out of their hands was owing to 
the interposition of the British Consul. Subscriptions 
were entered into in order to enable the sufferer to pub- 
lish his account of the whole affair, which accordingly 
came out in the following year, and put a considerable 
sum of money into his pocket." 16 

15 " The Testament of a Freemason ; ou, le Testament de Chevalier 
Graaf." Brussels, 1745. 

i6 ''The sufferings of John Coustos for Freemasonry, and for re- 
fusing to turn Eoman Catholic, in the Inquisition at Lisbon." London, 
1746. Bode, 1779. Birmingham, 1790. Hull, 1810. London, 
Spencer, 1847. ' 



49 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE SCHISM. DR. MANNINGHAM. 

1747—1760. 



" She teacheth Temperance and Prudence, Justice and Fortitude, 
which are such things as men can have nothing more profitable in 
their life."— Solomon. 

" Thys booke is not for every rude and unconnynge man to see, 
but to clerkys and very gentylmen that understands gentylnes and 
scyence." — Caxton. 

" Conscia mens recti famas mendacia ridet." — Ovid. 



"I have been thinking, sir," the Square continued, 
" how very extraordinary it is that the French Masons, 
as intelligence was brought over to this country from 
time to time, should have been so blind to the truth, or 
so ignorant of the legitimate principles of our divine 
Order, as to have instituted infidel societies in many of 
their chief cities, and invested them with the name of 
Masonry ; for such were the various Elus or Elected 
Masons, as they styled themselves, which about this 
time were springing up, like noxious weeds, all over the 
continent of Europe. But it is still more strange that 
any of the English Fraternity should have been so indis- 
creet as to have admitted their claims to brotherhood. 
In the year 1747, one of our members produced in the 
Lodge a pamphlet which had just made its appearance 
in London, as a translation from the French, professing 
to reveal the veritable secrets of the Order, 1 by describing 
the revised Lectures and ceremonies ; and was, in fact, 
a catchpenny publication, written to pander to the mor- 
bid appetites of the curious, who are ever in search of 
the means of procuring illegitimate and doubtful intelli- 

1 "-L'Adepte Macon, or the true secret of the Freemasons." Lon- 
don, 1747. 



00 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

gence respecting the mysteries of Freemasonry, when 
the end might be obtained in a more satisfactory manner 
by the honourable process of initiation. No notice, 
however, was taken of it, and I passed quietly through 
two or three hands, of whom I have nothing particular 
to say, till I was placed on the breast of Dr. Manning- 
ham, Deputy Grand Master, a London physician of great 
eminence, who proved a very active Master of the Lodge, 
and under his rule we rapidly increased in numbers and 
respectability. * 

" This worthy Brother had already distinguished him- 
self as a Mason, and established a powerful influence 
amongst the Fraternity ; and about this time he con- 
tributed, by his able and judicious conduct, to restore 
harmony to the Craft, which had suffered considerably 
from the apathy of Lord Byron, the Grand Master, who, 
for four years together, had neither held a Grand Lodge 
nor nominated a successor. The Fraternity being thus 
neglected, several old Masons, with Past Grand Master 
Payne at their head, held a private meeting to consult 
on the safest and most legitimate method of proceeding 
in the present emergency. Bro. Payne proposed that a 
public meeting of the Brethren should be called, by 
advertisement, to deliberate on the propriety of proceed- 
ing to the election of a new Grand Master. He admitted 
that it was a strong measure, but thought that the exi- 
gency of the case would justify it. Dr. Manningham, 
being present, observed that he was afraid it would be 
a breach of masonic law ; and if not, it might tend to 
introduce a party spirit amongst the Brethren, which is 
always more easily evoked than subdued. He promised, 
however, to communicate with the Grand Master on the 
subject, and assured them that a Grand Lodge should be 
convened at the usual time of the year, and a successor 
elected conformably to ancient practice. With this 
promise G. M. Payne professed himself to be content ; 
and thus the breach was healed by a judicious application 
of the laws and principles of Masonry. 

"Dr. Manningham was a bon vivant, as, indeed, all men 
were who had any pretensions to move in good society. 
He would have lost caste if he had been otherwise ; for 
the only alternative a gentleman had in these days, at a 
dinner or tavern party, was to get drunk, or give mortal 



5 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 51 

offence to his entertainer. 2 On this principle, the sup- 
pers after Lodge hours were devoted to social enjoyment. 
The song, the toast, and the racy jest went round mer- 
rily ; and often, to say the truth, the Brethren exceeded 
the bounds of moderation. And it is scarcely to be won- 
dered at, when conviviality was so fashionable amongst 
the higher classes of society. It was considered a mark 
of distinction to be called a three-bottle man, and a dis- 
grace to retire from the dinner-table sober. I have seen 
a great deal of it amongst Masons, and have heard many 
anecdotes of the same vice in men eminently gifted with 
great and commanding talents. 3 There was some truth 
in Hogarth's representation of the Free and Accepted 
Masons in his picture of ' Night,' where the Master of a 
Lodge, Sir Thomas Veil, appears in a state of intoxica- 
tion, and with a broken head. This picture was much 
talked about, and, although it was considered a libel on 
the Fraternity, it was a representation founded on unde- 
niable facts. 

"Notwithstanding these circumstances, there existed 
a high tone of morality amongst the Masons of that 
period. ' I should like to be made a Mason,' said a 
friend of Dr. Manningham to him one day. He was a 



2 A sermon was preached by Robert Harris, of Trinity College, 
Oxford, dedicated to the Justices of the Peace in Oxfordshire, who 
were notoriously hard drinkers, in which he says, " In drinking there 
is art, and in the world it is become a great profession, regulated by 
laws and ceremonies. There is drinking by the foot, by the yard, by 
the dozen, by the score ; for a wager, for victory, man against man, 
house against house, town against town, and how not?" 

3 " Sir Richard Steele spent half his time in a tavern. In fact, he 
may be said to have measured time by the bottle ; for it is on record 
that, being sent for by his wife, he returned for answer, that he would 
be with her in half a bottle. The like may be said of that great 
genius Savage the poet ; and even Addison was dull and prosy till he 
was three parts drunk. It is also recorded of Pitt, but I cannot 
vouch for the truth of it, that two bottles of port wine per diem were 
his usual allowance-; and that it was to this alone he was indebted for 
the almost superhuman labour he went through during his short, but 
actively-employed life. His friend and colleague, Harry Dundas, 
the ancestor of Earl Zetland, went the same lengths. Sheridan, lat- 
terly, without wine, was a driveller. He sacrificed to it talents such 
as no man I ever heard or read of possessed; for no subject ap- 
peared to be beyond his reach. The learned Porson was a drunk- 
ard, and so was Robert Burns the poet." — (Fraser's Mag., vol. xi., 
p. 730.) 



52 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

city tradesman. ' I think it would be of service to my 
trade.' ' Is that your sole motive ?' asked, the doctor. 
'Yes.' 'Then,' he replied, 'I would advise you to re- 
consider the matter, and relinquish all idea of becoming 
a Brother of the Craft, for I shall think it my duty to 
inform the Brethren what your motive is, and you are 
certain to be rejected.' 

" We heard, about this time, that certain Jews were 
implicated in the unauthorised innovations of our conti- 
nental Brethren, if, indeed, they were not the chief movers 
of them, as was asserted by some authorities f and it was 
the first notice we ever received of the descendants of 
Abraham being admitted to a participation in our 
Christian privileges. From their success in procuring 
initiation into the surreptitious Masonry of the continent, 3 
the English Jews soon became successful candidates for 
admission into our symbolical Order ; for it was justly 
contended that, as Jews were not excluded from attend- 
ing Christian churches, it would be impolitic and uncha- 
ritable to close a Christian Lodge against them. From 
that period they have been received into Masonry as 
members of an universal Order, whose principles, like 
those of the Christian religion, are destined to cover the 
earth as the waters cover the sea. 

" Rumours now arose, whence originating no one could 
discover, that Freemasonry was exclusively a Jewish 
institution ; and the proposition formed a prolific subject 
of discussion amongst us. At length an eminent Jew 
offered himself as a candidate for initiation in our Lodge ; 
and being a reputable and intelligent man, he was, of 
course, accepted; and then we discovered the grounds 
on which the arguments for the Jewish origin and appli- 
cation of Masonry were based. One evening, in a numer- 

4 About this time, the Council of Emperors of the East and "West, 
at Paris, granted a patent to a Jew, named Stephen Morin, deputing 
him a Grand Inspector-General for the purpose of propagating the 
hauts grades "in other countries beyond the seas;" meaning in the 
New World. (Thoiy, Act. Lat., torn, i., 78.) 

6 We have the evidence of Thoiy (Acta Lat., torn, i., 78), that at 
this period France abounded in Lodges, with surreptitious Constitu- 
tions, false titles, Charters antedated, and delivered by pretended 
authorities ; being not unfrequently fabricated by the Lodges them- 
selves ; and even constituting Mother Lodges and Chapters without 
the slightest legal sanction. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 53 

ous Lodge, Dr. Manningham expatiated largely, in his 
lecture, on Faith, Hope, and Charity, as virtues equally 
of Masonry and Christianity. When the lecture was 
ended, our Hebrew Brother observed that, in his opinion, 
Faith, Hope, and Charity had no existence in ancient 
Masonry. He contended that as Solomon built the Tem- 
ple at Jerusalem, which forms the great allegory of the 
Order, and as he was the first and chief of the three 
Grand Masters, it follows that Masonry must be a Jew- 
ish establishment, and consequently inapplicable to the 
reception of virtues which are peculiar to any sectarian 
religion. 

" Dr. Manningham admitted that the argument was 
specious, and might have the effect of convincing some 
few superficial Brethren, but it was not sound ; for, he 
observed, if Masonry be Jewish, it is not only sectarian, 
but of the most exclusive character ; for Palestine was 
but a flower-garden compared to the rest of the world, 
and its population as to numbers perfectly insignificant. 
And if Solomon's Grand Mastership be esteemed of any 
importance in the decision of this question, it will be 
found an unfortunate argument, for the weight of evi- 
dence is decidedly against it. It is true that Solomon 
was a Jew, but his two colleagues were heathens, wor- 
shippers of Hercules and Astarte, and addicted to the 
practice of the spurious Freemasonry of Tammuz ; and, 
therefore, if this reasoning be of any value, it will tend 
to prove that Freemasonry is a heathen rather than a 
Jewish institution, because Paganism furnished two out 
of three chief rulers in Masonry. 

•"But,' Dr. Manningham continued, 'although Solo- 
mon was a Jew, and could speak of trees, from the 
cedartree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that 
springeth out of the wall ; and also of beasts, and of fowl, 
and of creeping things, and of fishes, he was profoundly 
ignorant of the science of architecture. He understood 
natural history perfectly, bnt we do not find that he was 
celebrated for a knowledge of Operative Masonry. And 
if he was unacquainted with this sublime science, much 
less could any of his subjects establish a claim to such 
an excellent knowledge. In fact, if he had possessed, in 
his own dominions, artists and workmen sufficiently 
talented to have erected a temple to the true God, he 
5 



54 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

would not have solicited the aid of foreigners and worship- 
pers of false deities. The ancient Jews were confessedly 
ignorant of Masonry, and, therefore, the two Hirams were 
the persons principally engaged in the execution of this 
great work. They collected together the scattered bands 
of their countrymen, the Dionysiacs, from Egypt and 
other countries, and, dividing them into three parties, 
stationed one in the forest of Lebanon, another in the 
stone quarries, and the third in the clayey ground 
between Succoth and Zeredathah, while Solomon merely 
furnished the superior and inferior labourers for the work, 
under the direction of Prince Adonhiram. I cannot 
understand, therefore, how the above argument can be 
urged with any degree of confidence in favour of the 
hypothesis that Freemasonry is a Jewish institution.' 

" Our Hebrew Brother was too tenacious of the truth 
of his argument to abandon it without an effort, and he 
triumphantly contended that as the Tabernacle and 
Temple, with their appendages, are constituent and in- 
dispensable objects of illustration in the system of Free- 
masonry, its Levitical origin is thereby unequivocally 
proved. 

' ; Dr. Manningham denied the premises, on the ground 
that the application of these religious edifices in the 
lectures of Masonry is merely symbolical of a better 
and more perfect dispensation. ' In a word,' he con- 
tinued, ' if Masonry be universal, it can only be applied 
to a universal religion which, Judaism confessedly is not. 
And, therefore, it follows, that, if there be a religion 
which, in God's good time, shall embrace all mankind, 
and bring them into one fold under one shepherd, that is 
the religion in which all men will ultimately agree. It 
is a consummation to which every true Mason looks for- 
ward with delight, as a season when a universal religion 
shall cement all mankind in the bonds of a universal Bro- 
therhood; when the dove shall hold out the olive-branch 
of peace to all the kindreds of the earth; when swords 
shall be beat into ploughshares ; when nation shall not 
rise against nation, neither shall there be war any more. 
This completion of the everlasting design of the Most 
High will render masonic secrecy unnecessary, and 
Christ shall be all in all.' 

" The Jew persisted that, in applying Masonry to 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 55 

Christianity, we placed ourselves in a worse situation 
than in admitting its Jewish tendency, because its uni- 
versality was thus destroyed by the adoption of a prin- 
ciple exclusively sectarian. 

"'What,' Dr. Manningham replied, 'sectarian to assi- 
milate a universal system to a universal religion?' 

'"But I deny,' said the Jew, 'that Christianity is a 
universal religion. I believe that Judaism is the only 
true way of worshipping God, and that it will ultimately 
prevail over all others.' 

" Dr. Manningham here referred to the book of Common 
Prayer, which always lay on the table, and read from the 
seventh article as follows: 'The Old Testament is not 
contrary to the New ; for in both everlasting life is offer- 
ed to mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator 
between Cod and Man ; and the law given from Cod by 
Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, does not bind 
Christian men.' He admitted that it may be perfectly 
consistent in a Jew to apply Masonry to the requirements 
of his own religion; but, he said, it was impossible for 
the Christian to copy his example. And for this plain 
reason. If he be firmly persuaded that Christianity is a 
uuiversal religion, which he must be if he believes the 
Gospel to be true, he cannot, without inconsistency, 
affirm, that by making Masonry a Christian institution, its 
universality is affected. If, on the contrary, he really 
thinks that Freemasonry is a Jewish institution, he must 
necessarily believe in the eternity of Judaism, and is, of 
course, a doubtful Christian, because St. Paul affirms that 
the Levitical institutions were abolished by the mission 
of Jesus Christ. 

" ' But,' said the Jew, reserving his strongest argument 
to the last, ' What can the repeated references in Free- 
masonry to the Great Creator of the Universe, Jehovah, 
the Tetragrammaton of the Jews, mean, if they do not 
point out the Jewish origin of Masonry ? ' 

"'These references,' Dr. Manningham replied, 'are 
decisive of the question at issue. T. G. A. 0. T. U. is an 
undoubted landmark of ancient Masonry, acknowledged 
at the revival in 1717, and explained in the authorized 
lectures to mean, Him that was placed on the topmost pinna- 
cle of the Temple: and it is not possible by any process of 
reasoning to apply it otherwise than to Christ, without 



56 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

questioning the truth of Sacred Writ; for no other 
person that the world ever saw had been placed in that 
position. It follows, therefore, that the founder of Christi- 
anity constitutes an authentic and unalterable landmark 
of ancient Masonry. Read,' continued the Master, ' read 
the fundamental principles of the Order, as recorded in 
a manuscript in the Royal Library, said to have been 
originally written in the tenth century, of which I have 
here a copy.' And he produced the transcript, from 
which he read the following passage, amidst a variety of 
directions to the Craft, all to the same purport : — 

" Into the churche when thou dost gon, 
Pulle uppe thy herte to Crist, anon ! 
Uppon the rode thou loke uppe then; 
And knele down fayre on bothe thy knen; 
Then pray to hym so hyr to worche, 
After the lawe of holy churche, 
For to kepe the commandmentes ten, 
That God gaf to alle men ; 
And pray to him with mylde steven 
To kepe the from the synnes seven. 

" ' Such were the landmarks of Masonry in the time 
of Athelstan,' Dr. Manningham concluded, ' when the 
first English Grand Lodge was established at York, and 
they are unalterable, and continue the same yesterday, 
to-day, and for ever.' 

" The Jew was silenced, but not convinced. 

" You see, sir," my strange instructor proceeded, " that 
this point was argued dogmatically by our intelligent 
Master ; and he had an undoubted right to do so, for he 
was not only the representative of wisdom, but had also 
the advantages of study and experience. The subject 
was repeatedly discussed in our Lodges, and I have heard 
the opinions of every Mason during the eighteenth cen- 
tury who held any authority in the Craft, and they all 
agreed in the above interpretation of the connection be- 
tween Freemasonry and the religion in which all men 
agree. 

" During the Mastership of Dr. Manningham, the great 
gun of the opponents of Masonry, called Jachin and 
Boaz, made its appearance, 6 and passed through numer- 

6 " Jachin and Boaz, or an authentic key to the door of Freema- 
sonry, both ancient and modern. Calculated not only for the instruc- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 57 

ous editions. Its success stimulated other speculators to 
follow in the same track, and spurious rituals flooded the 
community like an inundation. 7 The number of com- 
petitors in the field served to neutralize each other's claim 
on public credence. They differed on many material 
points, and, therefore, the conclusion to which the pub- 
lic very naturally came was, that if any one of them was 
true, all the rest must necessarily be false, and as none 
knew whether any, or which, was the real Simon Pure, 
it followed that all might be fabrications to impose on 
the credulous reader absurd ceremonials and fictitious 
secrets, for the base purpose of putting a few pounds into 
their own pockets. 

" This was the argument used by Dr. Manningham to 
induce the Brethren to treat these furtive attempts with 
silent neglect. ' I should like to know,' he said one 
evening, when the matter was under consideration in the 
Lodge, ' I should like to know the real object of those 
who read these compilations. If they were really desi- 
rous of becoming acquainted with the secrets of Masonry, 
our Lodges are at hand ; no man of character and purity 
of motive is refused ; and, by initiation, he will become 
legitimately acquainted with the design and character of 
the Order. At all events, no one possessed of a rational 
judgment can safely rely on the information communi- 
cated by these unauthorized publications. Those who 
are merely desirous of enjoying a laugh at the dignified 
proceedings of a venerable Institution, will find their 
purpose sufficiently answered by a perusal of these pre- 

tion of every new made Mason, but also for the information of all who 
intend to become Brethren." London, 1750. Fifth edition, London, 
Nicol, 1764. Other new editions by the same printer in 1776, 1777, 
1779, 1788, 1791, 1794, 1797. New York : Berry, Rogers, and Ber- 
ry, 1793. London, Newbury, 1800. The 21st edition, London, De- 
wick, 1805 ; and other editions were printed in London in 1811, 1812, 
1814, and 1825. 

7 The following works were published almost simultaneously : "Le 
Macon demasque, ou le vrai secret des F. M. mis au jour dans toutes 
ses parties avec sincerite et sans deguisement." London, 1751 ; 
Berlin, 1757; Frankfort and Leipsig, 1786. "The Thinker upon 
Freemasonry ;" " The Ghost of Masonry ;" " The Mason's Creed ;" 
" The Point of a Mason, formed out of his own materials ;" and "A 
Discovery of the Secrets of Masonry," published in the " Scots Maga- 
zine" for 1755, and repeated in the "Edinburgh Magazine," for Oc- 
tober, 1757. 



58 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tended revelations; 8 although we are justified in entering 
our protest against the exhibition of such a vitiated taste, 
and leaving them to luxuriate in the mire of their own 
prurient errors.' 

"A Charge was delivered about this time at Gravesend, 9 
in which the subject of Masonic revelations was examin- 
ed. But Dr. Manningham adopted a more effectual 
method of neutralizing these absurd attempts to impose 
on the public, and disturb the harmony of the Craft. In 
his capacity of Deputy Grand Master, he visited the 
Lodges in every part of London and its suburbs, or where- 
ever else his presence was thought necessary, correcting 
errors, settling disputes, redressing what was amiss in 
the execution of the laws, repressing irregularities, and 
offering for the consideration of the Brethren the most 
prudent advice, alike for their future observance, and 
conducive to their lasting advantage. And the whole of 
his proceedings were characterized by such a display of 
candour and affability, as advanced his popularity to the 
highest pitch, and greatly endeared him to the Frater- 
nity at large. 

6 The satires of Dean Swift on Freemasonry are the most enter- 
taining, and the most harmless. I have already alluded to them in a 
previous chapter (p. 21), and the following extract from the celebra- 
ted " Tripos," supposed to have been delivered at a commencement 
in the University of Dublin, will be found amusing. " It was lately 
ordered that, for the honour and dignity of the University, there 
should be introduced a society of Freemasons consisting of gentle- 
men, mechanics, porters, parsons, ragmen, hucksters, bailiffs, divines, 
tuckers, knights, thatchers, coblers, poets, justices, drawers, beggars, 
aldermen, paviours, skulls, freshmen, bachelors, scavengers, masters, 
sow-gelders, doctors, ditchers, pimps, lords, butchers, and tailors, 
who shall bind themselves by an oath never to discover their mighty 
no- secret ; and to relieve whatsoever strolling distressed Brethren they 
meet with, after the example of the Fraternity of Freemasons in and 
about Trinity College, by whom a collection was lately made for, and 
the purse of charity well stuffed for a reduced Brother. Tarn libera 
potitus contributione, frater scoundrellus sarcinulas suas discessurus 
colligit, et vultu hilari, ori solito quadrangulum transit, &c., &c. ; 
proh dolor, inter partes au nobiliores, au posteriores nescio privatum 
fraternitatis notavit signum (Anglice, the Freemason's mark). Quo 
viso, Dii boni, quanto clamore totam infecit domum. Ter et sa?.pius 
pulsavit pectus, exsangues dilaniavit genas, et eheu nimium dilacc- 
ratas dilaceravit vestes. Tandem vero paulo modestius insaniens, 
hujusmodi versiculus ridiculum effudi dolorem." 

9 " Charge delivered to the Brethren assembled at Gravesend on 
the 29th of June, being their first meetiug after the Constitution of 
their Lodcrc." London, 1751. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 59 

" These visitations had become absolutely necessary 
for the purpose of discountenancing some gross impro- 
prieties which, at this period, were practised with im- 
punity. Some unworthy Brethren, who had been excluded 
from their Lodges for transgressing the general laws of 
Masonry, endeavoured to convince the public that they 
were good and worthy Brothers, by opening surreptitious 
Lodges, and making Masons, as if they had official autho- 
rity from the Gr. Lodge at York for such a prostitution 
of masonic privileges. These innovations, as might be 
expected, produced the most disastrous results, and were 
the commencement of that unhappy schism which di- 
vided the Society into two sections for more than half 
a century. 

" At this period we had no authorized form of prayer 
to be used at initiations, which led to some slight irregu- 
larities since the admission of Jewish Brethren. Each 
Master of a Lodge had been left to his own discretion in 
this particular, although the general practice was, to 
select an appropriate form from the Liturgy of the Church. 
Dr. Manningham saw the evil, and determined to apply 
a remedy. He consulted with Dr. Anderson on the sub- 
ject, and together they drew up a prayer for that parti- 
cular ceremony, which was submitted to the Grand Lodge 
for its sanction ; and that being obtained, Dr. Manning- 
ham introduced it in person to the metropolitan Lodges, 
by whom it was gratefully received. From thence it 
spread into the provinces, and was generally adopted 
throughout the kingdom. 10 

10 This prayer continued in use till the time of Preston, who altered, 
without improving it. It was printed in the "Freemasons' Pocket 
Companion," and other masonic publications. I subjoin the form : 
"Most Holy and Glorious Lord God, thou Architect of heaven and 
earth, who art the giver of all good gifts and graces ; and hath pro- 
mised that where two or three are gathered together in thy name, thou 
wilt be in the midst of them ; in thy Name we assemble and meet to- 
gether, most humbly beseeching thee to bless us in all our undertak- 
ings : to give us thy Holy Spirit, to enlighten our minds with wisdom 
and understanding ; that we may know and serve thee aright, that all 
our doings may tend to thy glory and the salvation of our souls. And 
we beseech thee, Lord God, to bless this our present undertaking, 
and to grant that this our Brother may dedicate his life to thy ser- 
vice, and be a true and faithful Brother amongst us. Endue him with 
Divine wisdom, that he may, with the secrets of Masonry, be able to 
unfold the mysteries of godliness and Christianity. This we humbly 



60 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"Id contravention of the pretended revelations of 
masonic secrets, it was asserted by an intelligent Brother 
that he was able, with a few masonic implements — that 
is, two squares and a common gavel — to convey any 
word or sentence to a skilful and intelligent Freemason, 
without speaking, writing, or noise, and that at any 
given distance, where the parties can see each other, and 
be able to distinguish squares from circles. 11 And another 
Brother, to the same effect, said, ' If a Christian, Jew, 
Turk, or Brahmin should meet together, and if they are 
Masons, they will no sooner tread upon the Level, than 
its magical and secret spring throws up a Perpendicular, 
and they are instantaneously found upon the Square; 
and these men, although ignorant of .each other's lan- 
guage, will communicate their thoughts intelligibly, with 
no other assistance than the three Grand Pillars of hearing, 
seeing, and feeling.' And they challenged any charlatan 
who pretended to reveal the secrets of Freemasonry, to 
show by what process this was effected. 

" The Craft, as you are well aware," continued my 
garrulous companion, " was now divided into two sec- 
tions, a schism having taken place in the Order, in conse- 
quence of a few suspensions and expulsions for irregu- 
larities ; and a hostile Grand Lodge was established in 
London, which charged the Constitutional Grand Lodge 
with being a self-constituted assembly, defective in num- 
bers, form, and capacity, and stigmatized its members 
with the offensive appellation of modern Masons. 12 This 
caused some little sensation, and produced two or three 
anonymous works in 1752-4. 13 

' "At the Grand Lodge, 29th November, 1754, Dr. 
Manningham brought the subject forward, and made a 
formal complaint that certain Brethren had associated 
themselves together under the denomination of ancient 
Masons, and declared themselves independent of the 
Grand Lodge, refusing obedience to its laws, and repu- 
diating the authority of the Grand Master. He said that 
some notice ought to be taken of these proceedings, for 

beg, in the name and for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord and 
Saviour, Amen." — See the original in "Scott's Pocket Companion." 
Ed. 1754. 

11 " Ahiman Eezon." Ed. 1813, p. xii. 12 See Ibid. p. viii. 

13 A Masonic Creed, with a curious Letter by Mr. Locke. 1754. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 61 

the purpose of discouraging such irregular meetings, not 
only because they were contrary to the laws and an 
insult to the Grand Master, but also as they tended to 
introduce into the system of Masonry novelties and 
conceits inconsistent with its true principles, thus in- 
sinuating that there had been other societies of Masons 
of a different nature to our own ancient and honourable 
Order. 

" The question being put, that this new society was 
an innovation on the ancient system of Masonry, it was 
carried in the affirmative, with only one dissentient voice. 
Dr. Manningham then moved, that the consideration of 
the irregular proceedings of the offending Brethren might 
be postponed till the next Quarterly Communication, 
hoping that a thorough sense of their misconduct, and a 
determination not to persist in it, would, in the mean- 
time, manifest itself, and reconcile them to the Grand 
Lodge ; which was unanimously agreed to. 

"I was fortunate enough to be present at these discus- 
sions, and therefore have no hesitation in communicating 
them to you as unquestionable facts. Now it so happened 
that some of the Brethren of the Lodge No. 94, meeting 
at the Ben Jonson's head, Spitalfields, had been on the 
continent, and had brought from thence the rituals of 
the Ecossais, the Elu, and Ramsay's Royal Arch, which 
they practised secretly every third Lodge night, under 
the designation of ancient Masonry. This was soon 
whispered abroad, and Dr. Manningham, with a few 
other Brethren, in the course of their visitations, called 
at the Lodge on one of its peculiar nights, and were 
refused admittance. This produced a complaint at the 
next Grand Lodge ; and, in addition to a severe vote of 
censure on the members of the Ben Jonson's Lodge, it 
was commanded that any Brother of the Order should be 
eligible for admission into that Lodge as a visitor on any 
of its regular nights. 

" The offending members affected to consider this 
order a species of oppression to which they were not 
inclined to submit, and they drew up and published a 
Manifesto, 14 in which they accused the Grand Lodge of 
partiality, innovation, and deviation from ancient Land- 

14 "Manifesto and Mason's Creed." London. 1755. 



62 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

marks, and publicly renounced their allegiance to it. 
Several passages from this book were read in Grand 
Lodge, and I remember one paragraph from the Preface 
particularly ; it was as follows : * Whereas the genuine 
spirit of Masonry seems to be so greatly on the decline, 
that the Craft is in imminent danger from false Brethren: 
and whereas its very fundamentals have of late been 
attacked, and a revolution from its ancient principles, 
etc., it has been thought necessary, by certain persons 
who have the welfare of the Craft at heart, to publish 
the following little pamphlet, by means of which it is 
hoped the ignorant may be instructed, the lukewarm 
inspirited, and the irregular reformed.' 

"Kather a bold beginning, was it not? 

" How far this ill-judged pamphlet produced these 
effects it will not be difficult to pronounce ; and in the 
Lodge I heard but one opinion of it. Certain it is that 
the Grand Lodge, on St. John the Baptist's day, 1755, 
passed unanimously the following resolution : ' Ordered, 
that the Brethren complained of at the last Quarterly 
Communication, persisting in their disobedience to the 
determination of the Grand Lodge, their Lodge, No. 94, 
held at the Ben Jonson's Head, Pelham street, Spital- 
fields, be erased from the Book of Lodges, and that such 
of the Brethren thereof who shall continue those irregu- 
lar meetings be not admitted as visitors in any Lodge 
whatever.' 

" These decisive and vigorous proceedings," said the 
Square, "increased the schism, and appeared to render 
a reunion impracticable. And, indeed, the refractory 
Brethren understood it to be so, for they immediately 
took measures for the permanency of their new branch 
of the Order, by constituting a Grand Lodge, and issuing 
warrants for private Lodges, and thus commenced the 
practice of a species of Masonry unknown in former 
times. They instituted a novel degree, which they 
called the Eoyal Arch, compounded out of a portion of 
the third degree, and from various continental innova- 
tions, which gave them a vast advantage in the minds of 
curious and unthinking persons, over the pure ancient 
system practised by the old Grand Lodge, inasmuch as 
it held out the prospect of superior information, and a 
greater insight into the design of ancient Freemasonry. 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. G3 

There are some reasons, however, for believing that this 
schism was beneficial, rather than otherwise, to the cause 
of genuine Freemasonry. Indeed, this was the opinion of 
Dr. Hemming, and he publicly asserted, at the reunion 
of the two Grand Lodges in 1S13, that it had done a 
great deal of good, by introducing a spirit of inquiry 
which proved favourable to its general interests. And 
we do not find that its 350 or 400 Lodges had any effect 
in reducing the members attached to the constitutional 
Grand Lodge ; for they continued to increase by gradual 
and certain steps, and it maintained its rank, in the face 
of every oppositien, with becoming dignity. There can 
be no doubt but the prevalence of schism on the conti- 
nent of Europe laid the foundation for this unnatural 
division of English Masonry into two hostile parties; 
but, as the dispute was conducted with moderation on 
both sides, it soon subsided, and the two Grand Lodges 
proceeded in their respective careers in peace, harmony, 
and brotherly love. 15 

15 See the •' Historical Landmarks of Masonry," vol. ii., p. 58 ; and 
"First Letter to Dr. Crucefix," by the Author. 



64 



CHAPTER V. 

TESTS AND QUALIFICATIONS. 
ENTICK, HESLETINE, CALCOTT, HUTCHINSON. 

1760—1769. 



" Maconrye beeth the skylle of Nature, the understondynge of the 
myghte that ys hereynne, and its sondre werkynges." — Old Ma- 
sonic M.S. 

" She knoweth the subtilties of speeches, and can expound dark 
sentences ; she forseeth signs and wonders, and the events of seasons 
and times." — Solomon. 

"Some folks have with curious impertinence strove, 
From Freemasons' bosoms their secrets to move, 
I'll tell them in vain their endeavours must prove ; 
Which nobody can deny." 

Masonic Song. 



' " In revealing some of the peculiar practices of Masonry 
in the eighteenth century, which, I am persuaded, are 
not clearly understood," continued the Master's Jewel, 
" I must caution you against confounding the pursuits of 
labour with those of refreshment, for they were perfectly 
distinct. Labour was an exclusive employment practised 
by Masons alone, while the amusements which attended 
the latter were common to many other convivial societies, 
and were regulated in accordance with the customs of 
the day. Grave business being closed, wit and good 
humour reigned triumphant, and the Brethren indulged 
themselves with a zest and freedom which distinguished 
no other community. Amongst Free and Accepted 
Masons, harmony and brotherly love were alike cherished 
and enforced ; and disputes and quarrels seldom deformed 
the chaste enjoyments of the festive board. But I am 
truly concerned to say that, in some of our Lodges, 
Masonry was deformed by the unnatural attempt to 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 65 

blend these two divisions of masonic employment, which 
were never intended to coalesce ; and the fatal conse- 
quences of such a course will too plainly appear by 
sundry revelations which I shall feel bound to make in 
the period now under consideration. 

" In the eighteenth century the Lodge expenses were 
constructed on the most economical scale. The initiation 
fees ranged from one to two guineas, exclusive of the 
registration fee ; and the quarterages were from 2s. 6d. 
to 5s. , including suppers. Under these circumstances, it 
required the exercise of great caution and discrimination 
to prevent the introduction of improper persons. And, 
accordingly, we had a clause in our Bye-Laws — which, 
indeed, was pretty general amongst the Fraternity — to 
the following effect: — 'And whereas the Craft hath suf- 
fered greatly in its reputation and happiness by the 
admission of low and inferior persons, no ways fit to 
become members of our ancient and honourable Institu- 
tion, whereby men of rank, quality, knowledge, and 
education, are often deterred from associating with their 
Brethren at their public meetings : it is hoped that every 
Brother who is desired to propose any person will be 
particularly careful that he is one in all respects suitable 
to the Venerable Society he is to become a member of; 
one whose temper and disposition may cement the har- 
mony of the Lodge, and whose conduct and circum- 
stances in life are such as may not tend to diminish the 
credit of it. 

"In the choice of a Master, it was recommended in 
the Bye-Laws that abilities should be preferred to seni- 
ority or station in life ; but this rule was not always 
observed, and the Lodges occasionally fell into inefficient 
hands, to the depreciation of their character, and the 
diminution of their numbers. In many Lodges it was 
the practice to elect the Master, Treasurer, Secretary, 
and Tyler, by ballot; nor did the former possess the 
privilege of nominating any officer, except his senior 
Warden, lest he should possess an undue authority over 
the Brethren; and, therefore, the senior Warden appointed 
his junior, and both were then invested by the Master. 
Decorum was enforced by a rigid exaction of fines, 
which were frequently directed to be paid in wine or 
spirits, to be consumed then and there by the Brethren 



66 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

present. 1 And as the Lodges were generally held at an 
inn, or tavern, the landlord, to whom the furniture 
usually belonged, possessed considerable influence in the 
Society, and was in a position to subject the Brethren to 
great inconvenience if they presumed to interfere in the 
slightest degree with his views of profit or emolument. 
From these causes, added to the universal license of the 
times, they were induced to indulge in excesses which 
transgressed the bounds of moderate conviviality, and 
brought discredit on the Order. This compulsory prac- 
tice became at length so burdensome, that a clause was 
introduced into the Bye-Laws, by direction of the Grand 
Lodge, that 'no landlord or master of the house where a 
Lodge shall be held shall be permitted to have any other 
share in the furniture and property of the Lodge than as 
an individual member.' By the genial operation of this 
rule the above nuisance was considerably abated. 

" The period I have passed over in the preceding 
chapter produced several authentic publications on the 
subject of Masonry, which were read in the Lodges for 
the edification of the Brethren. 2 The 'Ahiman Kezon' 

1 Thus in an old minute book belonging to the Witham Lodge, 
Lincoln, we find the following entries in the Bye-Laws : — " The Mas- 
ter, if present, or his Wardens, in his absence, shall regularly open 
and close the Lodge at the appointed hours. Or if all of them hap- 
pen to be absent, the member who was last Master, or for want of a 
person who hath passed the Chair, the last Warden present is to do 
the same, and during the Lodge hours shall promote the business of 
the Craft ; so that there may be one Examination, at least, gone 
through on every Lodge night, or the persons so neglecting shall 

forfeit a bottle of wine, to be drank by the Brethren after the Lodge is 
closed, to make them some part amends. Not fewer than three leaves, 
part of the Constitutions of the Fraternity, shall be read immediately 
after opening the Lodge, on every Lodge night, by the Master, his 
Wardens, or their Official, or by some other Brother present by their 
appointment, under the penalty of one bottle of wine to be paid as 
aforesaid. No Brother made in another Lodge shall be passed Mas- 
ter in this Lodge under half a guinea, to be paid for the entertainment 
of the Masters present. 

2 These were— u A Charge delivered at the King's Arms, in Hels- 
ton, Cornwall, on Tuesday, April 21st, 1752, by Isaac Head." "A 
Search after Truth : a Sermon, delivered at Gloucester before the 
Lodge, No. 95:" 1752. "A Pocket Companion, and History of 
Freemasonry, containing its Origin, Progress, and Present State ; the 
Institution of the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; Lists of the Grand Mas- 
ters and other Officers of the Grand Lodges of Scotland and England ; 
an Abstract of their Laws, Constitutions. Customs. Charges, Orders, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. G7 

was also published for the use of the seceders, and was 
adopted by the schismatical Grand Lodge, as its Book of 
Constitutions. 3 At this period our Rev. Bro. Entick 
engaged in the laudable design of counteracting the 
repeated attempts that had been made to throw Masonry 
into confusion, and contributed several valuable additions 
to masonic literature. He was, in his turn, the Master of 
our Lodge, and I glittered on his breast for three consecu- 
tive years. His habits were grave and sober; but he 
was a good Master, and a fair disciplinarian, popular 
amongst the Craft, an expositor of Masonry in many 
printed works, and at the same time he preserved his 
status in the Grand Lodge, which is more than Capt. 
Smith, Preston, Whitney, and some other popular Breth- 
ren, were fortunate enough to accomplish at a subsequent 
period. He published two several editions of the Book 
of Constitutions, 4 and preached many sermons on Free- 

and Regulations, for the Instruction and Conduct of the Brethren." 
By Jonathan Scott. London : Baldwin, Davey, and Law, 1754 ; 
Second edition, 1759 ; Third edition, 1764. To this latter edition 
were appended many other particulars for the use of the Society. 

3 " Ahiman Rezon, or a Help to a Brother; showing the Excellency 
of Secrecy, and the First Cause or Motive of the Institution of Ma- 
sonry, the Principles of the Craft, and the Benefits from a Strict Ob- 
servance thereof; also the Old and New Regulations. To which is 
added, the greatest Collection of Masonic Songs." By Bro. Dermott. 
London: Bedford, 1756; Second edition, London, 1764; Third 
edition, London, Jones, 1778 ; Fifth edition, Dublin, 1780 ; Sixth 
edition, by Bro. Harper, London, Burton, 1800 ; Seventh edition, Lon- 
don, 1807; Eighth edition, London, 1813; Ninth edition, London, 
Asperne, 1836. "The Mariland Ahiman Rezon; containing the 
History of Masonry, &c." Baltimore, 1799. Freemasons' Library, 
and General Ahiman Rezon." By Samuel Cole, Baltimore, 1817. 
"Ahiman Rezon abridged and digested." By TV. Smith, D.D. Phila- 
delphia, 1783. " Charges and Regulations of the Society of Free and 
Accepted Masons ; extracted from Ahiman Rezon, under the sanction 
of the Prov. Grand Lodge of Halifax, in New Scotland." Halifax, 
1786. It was answered in a book called " A Defence of Masonry, as 
practised in the Regular Lodges, both Foreign and Domestic, under 
the Constitution of the English Grand Master. In which is contain- 
ed a Refutation of Mr. Dermott' s absurd and ridiculous Account of 
Freemasonry, in his book entitled 'Ahiman Rezon,' and the Several 
Queries therein reflecting on the Regular Masons considered and 
answered." London, Flexney and Hood, 1765. 

4 "The Constitutions of the Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of 
Free and Accepted Masons ; containing their History, Charges, 
Regulations, &c. Collected and digested by order of the Grand 
Lodge, from their Old Records. For the Use of the Lodges. By 



68 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

masonry, which ought to have fteen preserved, as they did 
honour both to his head and his heart. 5 I must confess 
I had a great respect for Bro. En tick. He was an active 
man, and a dear lover of Masonry; and I was exceeding- 
ly sorry when fate, in the shape of a vote of the Lodge, 
threw me into other hands. 

"After this I passed two years of severe probation, for 
the Masters were inefficient, and the Brethren began to 
be very slack in their attendance ; in fact, at the close of 
the year, our Lodge was hors de combat. The latter of 
these worthies was inordinately addicted to the prevailing 
convivialities of the age, and introduced amongst us the 
exploded custom of drinking and smoking in open Lodge, 
an evil practice, destructive of all scientific investigation. 
I admit that he was not a solitary exception to the stand- 
ing order, that, ' no Brother do presume to come into the 
Lodge intoxicated, or on any account whatever to call for 
wine or liquors in open Lodge, but to address himself to 
the stewards or wardens, who, if they think it necessary, 
will give their orders accordingly,' for there were many 
existing Lodges whose sole business appeared to be sensual 
indulgence, but they were carefully avoided by every sin- 
cere friend of the Order. Many protests were entered 
against the practice by the remaining few discreet members 
of our Lodge without effect : the nuisance was not abated ; 
and even the lecture — when we had the good fortune to 
hear one — was delivered amidst volumes of smoke, which 
rivalled in intensity the reeking impurities of a burning 
prairie, and interrupted by frequent calls to the land- 
James Anderson, D. D. Carefully revised, continued, and enlarged, 
with many additions, by John Entick, M.A." London, Baldwin, 
Davey, and Law, 1756, " The Constitutions, &c." By J. Entick, 
M.A. A new edition, with Alterations and Additions, by a Committee 
appointed by the Grand Lodge. London, Johnston, 1767. "Appen- 
dix to the Constitutions of the Society of Free and Accepted Masons." 
1776. 

5 " The Free and Accepted Mason described, in a Sermon preached 
at St. Stephen, Walbrook, June 25, 1750, by John Entick, A.M." 
London, Scott, 1750. "The Free and Accepted Mason truly 
stated." Preached by J. Entick, from Acts xxviii., 22. "A True 
Representation of Freemasonry ; in a Lecture, delivered at the 
King's Head Lodge, in the Poultry, London, March 20, 1751, by J. 
Entick, A.M." "A Caution to Free and Accepted Masons; a Ser- 
mon preached at St. Mildred, in the Poultry, Oct. 26, 1752, by J. 
Entick, A.M." London, Scott, 1752. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 69 

lord for beer and strong waters, and the jingling of pots 
and glasses ! Forgetting the favetc Unguis of the old mys- 
teries, the enjoyment of every Brother seemed to centre 
in himself alone; and this unhallowed triad of lecturing, 
smoking, and drinking at one and the same time, bestrode 
the Brethren like the old man of the sea on the neck of 
Sinbad, and they possessed no means of liberation but by 
dissolving their connection with the Lodge ; and thus the 
Institution was deprived of some of its most valuable 
members. 

" This R. W. M., whose name, for various reasons, I 
have purposely omitted to mention, as if determined to 
give the Lodge its coup de grace, introduced a contest for 
superiority between the old and several young members, 
who understood very imperfectly the true principles of 
the Order, and entered warmly into the dispute for the 
sake of excitement and mischief. The juniors were at 
first always defeated in the numerous motions and sub- 
jects of discussion which they nightly poured forth upon 
the Lodge, with as little judgment as Sancho Panza 
exhibited in the application of his proverbs; but being 
encouraged by the Master, they succeeded in procuring 
an accession to their numbers by the introduction of can- 
didates for initiation, till, at length, the old members 
were in a minority. The undisguised marks of triumph 
which the juniors displayed, so disgusted their more 
sedate Brethren, that they dropped off gradually, until 
the Lodge was left to the sole management of the inju- 
dicious^ Siaster, and his superficial associates. I need not 
tell you the result. After the paeans of victory had sub- 
sided, and the excitement of the contest was at an end, 
these boon companions found Masonry but a dull affair, 
and soon followed the example of those worthy Brethren 
whom they had driven from the Lodge, by discontinuing 
their attendance; until, at length, we received a sum- 
mons, dated 17th October, 1776, and signed ' Samuel 
Spencer, Grand Secretary,' requiring us, under the pe- 
nalty of erasure, to show cause, at the ensuing Quarterly 
Communication, why the Lodge had not been represented 
in Grand Lodge for the last two years, and no subscrip- 
tions paid. Fortunately, the remaining few members 
who had faithfully adhered to the Lodge amidst all its 
fluctuations, — if not by actual attendance, at least by 
6 



70 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

continuing on the books, — interfered, and by inviting an 
active and scientific member, Bro. James Heseltine, who 
had served the office of Warden under Bro. Entick, to 
take the chair, restored the peace and unanimity of the 
Lodge. 

"Many of the continental fancies and innovations, ex- 
tracted from the Jewish Talmuds, and introduced into 
their surreptitious Masonry, were much talked of in our 
Lodges at this period ; and some of them were absolutely 
incorporated into our symbolical ritual, which was one 
reason why an authorized mode of working was con- 
sidered by all genuine Masons to be essentially necessary. 
The rage for something new in England, as formerly in 
Athens, was not easily suppressed, and a knowledge of 
these traditions was deemed indispensable for every 
Brother who was ambitious of enjoying the reputation 
of being an adept in Masonry. One ' of these traditions 
you will like to hear, as it continued for a great length 
of time a cherished figment amongst us. It refers to the 
history of the Foundation Stone of Solomon's Temple, 
which was traced in the legend from Enoch through 
Noah, Abraham, and Solomon, to the apostate Emperor 
Julian by the following process. They described it as a 
double cube, every side, except the base on which it 
stood, being inscribed. The first face of the cube was 
said to have been engraved by Noah with an instrument 
of porphyry when the Ark was building; the second, by 
Abraham, with the horn of the ram — credat Judaeus! — 
which was substituted for his son on Mount Moriah! the 
third, with a porphyry tool by Moses; the fourth, by 
Joshua ; and the fifth by Hiram AbifF, before it was de- 
posited in its final bed at the north-east angle of the 
Temple. Having been placed by Enoch in the basement 
of his subterranean edifice, it was discovered by Noah, 
and used as an anchor to fix the Ark on Mount Ararat. 
Abraham took it thence to Mount Moriah, where it con- 
stituted the altar on which he offered Isaac. It formed 
the pillow of Jacob when he saw his celestial vision of 
the ladder, and accompanied him in all his wanderings. 
He bequeathed it to Joseph in Egypt, who directed it 
to be placed over his grave. Moses took it with him, at 
the great deliverance, into the wilderness of Arabia. He 
stood upon this remarkable stone when the Red Sea was 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 71 

divided, and when the Amalekites were defeated; knelt 
on it when the Tables of the Law were delivered on 
Mount Sinai; and finally commended it to the care of 
Joshua, who built his altar on it at Mount Ebal. It was 
deposited in the Sanctuary at Shilo, until the Temple 
was erected at Jerusalem, when Solomon directed it to 
be placed in the foundation as the chief corner-stone. 
Here it remained undisturbed either by Zerubabel or 
Herod, as it was destined to defeat the insane attempt of 
Julian to rebuild the Temple, which it effected by de- 
stroying his workmen through the agency of fire. 6 

"A similar fiction about the Rod of Moses was also 
imported from the Continent, which was traced from the 
Paradisiacal Tree of Knowledge; 7 another about the 
institution of Templary, which, as it was said, had its 
origin in Egypt before the Exodus; 8 that Moses and 
Aaron, having been initiated into its mysteries, brought 
it with them into Judaea ; that thence it passed through 
the two St. Johns to the Crusades, &c. ; and a fourth, 
about the imaginary travels of Peleg, and the erection of 
his triangular Temple. 9 We had another, which re- 
counted the pseudo-history of Hiram Abiff; and many 
similar ones, which it would be a waste of time to 
mention. It may be necessary to add, that these fables 
were not countenanced by any but some young and 
inexperienced Brethren, who were ambitious of being 
accounted cleverer and brighter Masons than their fel- 

6 These legends are equally apocryphal with those of the Scottish 
fabulists about the same stone. They feign that, from the time of 
Jacob, who used this stone for a pillow, it was preserved in Spain 
till Grathol, king of the Scots, ruled over G-allicia, and that he used it 
for a throne. That Simon Brech, another Scottish monarch, about 
700 years before Christ, or about the time when Borne was built, 
conveyed it into Ireland, where it remained for three or four centu- 
ries before it was translated into Scotland. When there, it was 
installed in the Abbey of Scone, as a palladium, and enclosed in an 
oaken chair by king Kenneth, on which the following verse was en- 
graven : — 

"Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque locatum. 
Invenient lapideni, regnare tenentur ibidem." 

This stone and chair were deposited in Westminster Abbey, A.D. 
1296, where they still remain. Utrum horum mavis accipe I 

7 This legend may be found in the Hist. Landmarks, vol. ii., 
p. 599. 

8 Ibid., vol. ii., p. 24. 9 Ibid., vol. i., p. 63. 



72 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

lows. And you would have been astonished to see the 
absurd airs of importance which the possessors of these 
fabulous conceits assumed when the conversation of a 
Lodge happened to turn upon the abstruse subject of 
cabalistical acquirements." 

My tongue itched to inquire into the particulars of 
the history of Hiram AbifF, and I had some difficulty to 
restrain my curiosity. My companion observed the 
movement, and interpreted it correctly. "You wish to 
learn something of the reputed private history of this 
eminent Freemason," he said; "but I am not quite sure 
that I shall be able to gratify your curiosity, for conjec- 
ture, after all, is no great authority. You shall hear 
some of the legends, however, if it will afford you any 
satisfaction. Our continental Brethren identified Hiram 
AbifF with Jesus Christ, and endeavoured to prove that 
his history was an allegory of the Crucifixion. They 
contended that the word tmn meant, He thai existed from 
all eternity — T. Gr. A. 0. T. U. — Christ; 10 and asserted 
that in ancient times seven days was the legitimate 
interval between the ceremony of raising a candidate, 
and communicating to him the secrets of a Master 
Mason, in allusion to the period of mourning for his 
death, which, amongst the Jews, was seven days, as in 
the recorded instance of the lamentations of Joseph for 
his father Jacob ; and the same period intervened between 
the resurrection of Christ and his public appearance to 
his disciples to remove the unbelief of Thomas. And 
in recounting the history of Masonry, they feigned that 
the art and mystery of the Order was first introduced at 
the building of the tower of Babel; and from thence 
handed down by Euclid, a worthy and excellent mathe- 
matician of Egypt; that he communicated it to Hiram 
AbifF, under whom, at the building of the Temple of 
Solomon, was an expert architect called Mannon Grecus, 
who, travelling westward after the Temple was com- 
pleted, taught the art of Masonry to Carol us Marcel, 
King of France, from whence it was transplanted into 

10 The passage in my authority is thus stated: "When we divide 
the word d^fi Hiram into two syllables drM Hay-ram, the trans- 
lation of this word is, He who exists, &c, which explains the Mas- 
ter's Sign." 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 73 

England in the time of Athelstan, who commanded the 
Brethren to assemble annually in the city of York ! 

"They further stated, that the Stylus with which 
Hiram AbifF drew his plans and designs, and engraved 
that mysterious diagram on the foundation-stone of the 
Temple, which is now known as the 47th Proposition 
of Euclid, was found on his person at his raising, and 
was ordered by Solomon to be placed in his monument. 
I omit the fable of his marriage with the sister of Prince 
x\doniram, his death, burial, monument, obelisk, with its 
circles, squares, and columns, and Solomon's bitter 
mourning, together with the distraction and suicide of 
his widow, because, I dare say, you are heartily sick of 
this absurd jumble of truth and fiction, where Euclid is 
made contemporary with the dispersion from Shinar, and 
Hiram AbifF brother to the Carthaginian Hanno. 

" Our Brethren, however, amidst all their fondness for 
continental innovations and Jewish legends, were not so 
ungallant to the softer sex as to introduce that graceless 
illustration of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, or the holy 
ground on which the Lodge is placed, that was used by 
the French Masons, viz., as 'a place of peace, harmony, 
and concord, where cock never crows, women never 
brawl, nor lion ever roars."' 11 

Here I was about to violate our compact by repudi- 
ating the application of these puerilities to the Masons 
of the present day, when my mentor hastily moved one 
of his limbs forward, with an admonitory swagger, and 
cried out, "Hold! speak not, answer not ; the sound of 
the human voice will annihilate my colloquial powers ! 
I acquit you of any participation in these fabulous inven- 
tions. They were excusable a century ago, when the 
million could neither read nor write, and were obliged 
to take on credit every vague assertion of those who had 
the advantage of mental culture; and, therefore, you 
need not wonder that in times when the fables of King 
Arthur and his Raven, the Seven Champions, Mother 
Shipton, and the Predictions of Nostrodamus and the 
Double- thumbed Miller, were implicitly credited, there 



11 The ladies of France amply revenged themselves by instituting 
a Freemasonry of their own, and every principal town in Franc© 
soon exhibited its Lodge of Adoption. 



74 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

should be found many believers in the spurious legends 
of continental Masonry. 12 

" I have taken the liberty of digressing at this particu- 
lar period," continued the Square, " because I have 
nothing favourable to reveal respecting the transactions 
of our Lodge under an inefficient Master ; but when I 
passed to Brother Hesletine, our numbers were soon 
recruited. It is true, masonic impostors and masonic 
pretenders were numerous and active ; but our R. W. M. 
was ever on the alert, and knew all the vulnerable points 
of the enemy's position. Thus he was able, by a series 
of judicious and well-timed exposures of the iniquity of 
the one and the moral degradation of the other, to silence 
the gainsayers, and put the scoffers to open shame. He 
made them feel that men who are willing to prostitute 
their time and talent for the questionable purpose of 
gratifying a prurient curiosity, are open to the operation 
of public opinion, which, when rightly directed, is sure 
to cover them with confusion and disgrace. 

"Brother Hesletine was extremely anxious that the 
Craft should enjoy the blessings of uniformity in disci- 
pline and work. And to contribute to the accomplish- 
ment of so desirable an end, he spared neither time nor 
expense ; and not only visited every London Lodge, but 
made excursions to the most distant parts of the island. 
Wherever he heard of a Lodge which was celebrated for 
either the one or the other, that Lodge was certain of a 



13 Amongst the continental Masons of this period, and I believe 
also in the United States, the following vocabulary was used : — 
1. Initiated. 2. Passed. 3. Raised. 4. Mark Master, Congratu- 
lated. 5. Past Master, Presided. 6. Most Excellent Master, Ac- 
knowledged and Received. 7. Royal Arch, Exalted in a Chapter. 
And further, an assembly of Knights Templars, was called an En- 
campment; of Knights of the Bed Cross and Prince of Jerusalem, a 
Council ; of Knights of the Christian Mark, a Conclave ; of Illus- 
trious Knights, a Crand Chapter; of Knights of the East and West, 
a Grand Council; of the Grand Patriarch, Prince of Libanus, a 
College; of Chief of the Tabernacle, a Sovereign Council; of Prince 
of the Tabernacle, a Hierarchy; of Knights of the Brazen Serpent, 
a Court of Sinai ; of Prince of Mercy, the Third Heaven ; of Sove- 
reign Commander of the Temple at Jerusalem, a Court ; of Kadosh, 
Areopagus ; of Princes of the Boyal Secret, a Consistory ; of Rose 
Croix, a Sovereign Chapter ; of Grand Inquisitor Commander, a 
Sovereign Tribunal; and of Sovereign Grand Inspector- General, a 
Convocation. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 75 

visit from him. He became acquainted with all the 
different systems of work which presented themselves to 
his notice, accompanied by their respective Tests or 
Examination Questions, and he found that every variety 
of lecture was in practice which had been used from the 
time of Desaguliers and Anderson to the moment of 
inquiry. It is a great pity," the Square apostrophized, 
"that these important marks of distinction were not 
considered as unalterable as the S. T. & W. A collec- 
tion of them would, I should think, be a great curiosity ; 
and if you will listen attentively, I will repeat them from 
Brother Hesletine's notes." 

Observing that I took up my pen to jot them down, 
the Square hastily added, " Hold, hold ! my good friend ! 
mind what you are about ! I feel myself authorised, 
without any indiscretion, to communicate to you, viva 
voce, both lihe questions and the answers of these curious 
Tests ; but whether, consistently with your 0. B., you 
can commit to paper anything more than the simple 
questions, which, of themselves convey no information, 
is for you to determine, when you have taken a deliber- 
ate view of the moral responsibility attached to such an 
act." 

Having said this, my strange companion receded a few 
steps, to allow me time for deliberation ; and the wisdom 
of his remark appearing incontestable, I determined to 
act on his advice, and take down the questions only. 
The Square then proceeded. 

" The Tests of Masonry were at that time generally 
denominated Examination Questions, and may be con- 
sidered, not merely as curious illustrations of individual 
feeling at the consecutive periods of its onward progress, 
but as absolute landmarks to distinguish true from 
pretended Freemasonry, which were periodically con- 
sidered necessary by the master minds who successively 
appeared on the masonic stage; and being arbitrary in 
their character, were occasionally changed, that the 
impostor might be more easily detected, and the cowan 
more effectually exposed. 

" The most ancient formula," said the Square, " that I 
ever heard mentioned by Sir C. Wren, was that which he 
himself used, and he pronounced its origin to be of a 
remote and unknown antiquity. The questions were 



76 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

fifty in number, and all of the greatest importance. 
These were reduced to fifteen when used as a preliminary 
examination, thus: — i. What o'clock is it? 2. How go 
Squares? 3. Which is the point of your entry? 4. 
How many particular points pertain to a Freemason? 

5. How many proper points? 6. Why do odds make a 
Lodge? 7. What Lodge are you of? 8. Where is the 
Mason's point? 9. Who rules and governs the Lodge as 
its Master? 10. How many angles in St. John's Lodge? 

11. How many steps belong to a right Mason? 12. Give 
me the solution? 13. What is the Jerusalem Word? 
14. What is the Universal Word? 15. What is the right 
word or right point of a Mason? These Tests ought 
never to have been altered, because every answer is a 
landmark. 

" The succeeding formula was introduced by Desagu- 
liers and Anderson at the revival in 1717; and though 
not destined to a very long reign, they were perspicuous 
and expressive, and a brief summary of their contents 
were embodied in the following Tests : — 1. I. T. B. G. C. 
T. H. A. T. E. 2. What is the place of the senior 
apprentice? 3. What are the fixed lights? 4. How 
ought the R. W. M. to be served? 5. What is the pun- 
ishment of a Cowan? 6. What is the bone bone-box? 
7. How is it said to be opened? 8. By what is the key 
suspended? 9. What is the proper clothing of a Mason? 
10. What is a Mason's brand? 11. How high was the 
door of the middle chamber? 12. What does this stone 
smell of? 13. Can you tell me the name of an E. A. P., 
of a F. C, and of a M. M. ? 14. H. T. W. P. 0. T. T. P. 0. 
T. T. 

" The Lectures or Examinations having been remodel- 
led about the year 1730 by Martin Clare, he thought it 
expedient to alter the Tests ; and his category was 
approved by the Grand Lodge. It was as follows: — 
1. Whence came you? 2. Who brought you here ? 3. 
What recommendation do you bring ? 4. Do you know 
the secrets of Masonry? 5. Where do you keep them? 

6. Have you the key ? 7. Where is it deposited ? 8. 
When you were made a Mason, what did you consider 
most desirable? 9. What is the name of your Lodge? 
10. Where is it situated? 11. What is its foundation? 

12. How did you enter the Temple of Solomon? How 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 77 

many windows did you see there? 14. What is the duty 
of the youngest apprentice? 15. Have you ever worked 
as a Mason? 16. What did you work with? 17. Salute 
me as a Mason. 

" This arrangement lasted ten years, and was super- 
seded by an improved series of Examination Questions 
promulgated by Dr. Manningham, and adopted by most 
of the metropolitan and several provincial Lodges. Be 
careful that you take them down correctly, for they are 
so ingeniously constructed, that the omission or altera- 
tion of a single word may cause a mystification that will 
not be easily unravelled. 1. Where were you made a 
Mason? 2. What did you learn there? 3. How do you 
hope to be rewarded? 4. What access have you to that 
Grand Lodge ? 5. How many steps ? 6. What are their 
names ? 7. How many qualifications are required in a 
Mason? 8. What is the standard of a Mason's faith? 
9. What is the standard of his actions ? 10. Can you 
name the peculiar characteristics of a Mason's Lodge ? 
11. What is the interior composed of? 12. Why are we 
termed Brethren? 13. By what badge is a Mason distin- 
guished? 14. To what do the reports refer? 15. How 
many principal points are there in Masonry? 16. To 
what do they refer? 17. Their names. 18. The allusion. 

"These Tests continued unaltered down to the period 
of which I am speaking. A very talented Mason was 
now rising into notice, who was destined to effect organic 
changes in the system. I shall reveal his improvements 
in due course ; and he is introduced here simply because 
he was the author of a brief paper of questions, which 
he considered more characteristic than any that had 
preceded them. I allude to Brother Dunckerley, a name 
which will live as long as Masonry shall endure. His 
Tests were only ten in number, but each possessed a 
significant reference to some important landmark of the 
Order. 1. How ought a Mason to be clothed ? 2. When 
were you born? 3. Where were you born? 4. How 
were you born? 5. Did you endure the brand with 
fortitude and patience ? 6. The situation of the Lodge ? 
7. What is its name ? 8. With what have you worked 
as a Mason ? 9. Explain the Sprig of Cassia. 19. How old 
are you ? 

"About this period," the Square proceeded to say, 
" a young man named Preston appeared in town from 



78 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the north, and was initiated in an Athol Lodge, where 
he displayed such extraordinary intelligence and zeal as 
elicited the applause of all classes of the Fraternity. 
Our R. W. M., Bro. Hesletine, heard of his fame, and 
sought his acquaintance. An attachment sprang up 
between them, which produced some extraordinary 
results. Bro. Hesletine induced him to dissolve his con- 
nection with the Athol Masons, and to legitimatize him- 
self in a constitutional Lodge. This young man, as the 
first fruits of his labours, placed in the hands of our R. 
W. M. a new arrangement of the Tests, which, though 
not actually introduced till a later period, were read in 
the Lodge, and highly approved by the Brethren. He 
divided them into three sections of seven questions each, 
and they contained, as you will hear, some novelties. 
Hirst Section. — 1. Whither are you bound? 2. Are you 
a Mason? 3. How do you know that? 4. How will 
you prove it to me ? 5. Where were you made a Mason ? 
6. When were you made a Mason ? 7. By whom were 
you made a Mason ? Seconal Section. — 1. From whence 
come you? 2. What recommendation do you bring? 

3. Any other recommendation? 4. Where are the secrets 
of Masonry kept? 5. To whom do you deliver them? 

6. How do you deliver them? 7. In what manner do 
you serve your Master ? Third Section. — 1. What is your 
name? 2. What is the name of your son? 3. If a 
Brother were lost, where should you hope to find him ? 

4. How should you except him to be clothed? 5. How 
blows a Mason's wind? 6. Why does it thus blow? 

7. What time is it ? 13 

" In this country, in accordance with ancient practice, 
we admit only three degrees ; but on the continent the 

13 To complete this catalogue of masonic Tests it might seem 
necessary to subjoin the Qualification Questions of Hemming and 
Shadbolt. But these are so well known amongst the Craft that it 
would be a work of supererogation to insert them here. And it 
would savour of egotism if I were to introduce a series of Questions 
which I myself arranged a few years ago for the same purpose. They 
consist of nine sections ; i.e. three to each Degree, containing eighty- 
one questions in the whole, or nine to every section; systematically 
constructed on the principle of trichotomy, and prominently exhibit- 
ing most of the chief Landmarks of antiquity. Thus each one of our 
Triad of Degrees has a triad of sections; and the Questions in each 
section are a triad of triads ; having been studiously arranged in a 
trinal form. I have found them in practice exceedingly useful, being 
acquired with great facility, and easily retained in the memory. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 79 

list was swelled out to the enormous category of twenty 
degrees of Apprentice, 11 twenty-three of Fellowcraft, 15 
and sixty of Master. 16 Although such innovations were 
prevalent in France and Germany, and found their way 
secretly amongst ourselves, yet they received no sanc- 
tion from the masonic authorities, and the Fraternity 
were cautioned to beware how they introduced any of 
the foreign fallacies into their Lodges. In many cases, 
however, curiosity prevailed over expediency, and indi- 
viduals received them as genuine masonic truths, and 
had no little pride in their acquisition. 

" About this time a remarkable Essay, on the applica- 

14 These were, besides the simple E. A. P. of primitive Masonry, 
an Apprentice Architect; App. Perfect Architect; App. Prussian 
Architect; Cabalistic App. ; Coen App. ; App. of Paracelsus ; Egyp- 
tian App. ; Secret Egyptian App. ; Female Egyptian App. ; Scotch 
App. ; Scotch Trinitarian App. ; Hermetic App. ; Male App. ; Fe- 
male App. ; Adoptive App. ; Mystical App. ; App. Philosopher of 
the number nine; App. Hermetic Philosopher ; App. Philosopher of 
the number three ; and the Theosophic App. 

15 For the second degree they admitted a Fellowcraft Mason ; F. C. 
Architect; F. C. Perfect Architect; F. C. Prussian Architect; Ca- 
balistic F. C. ; F. C. Coen ; F. C. of Paracelsus ; Scotch F. C. ; Scotch 
Trinitarian F. C. ; Egyptian F. C. ; Hermetic F. C. ; Mystic F. C. ; 
F. C. Hermetic Philosopher; F. C. Philosopher by the number three ; 
F. C. Sublime Philosopher by the number three; F. C. Philosopher 
by the number nine ; F.C. by the number fifteen ; Theosophic F. C. ; 
Biblical F. C. ; Discrete F. C. ; Female F. C. ; Female Egyptian 
F. C. ; and Obligated F. C. 

16 And as a corollary to these fictitious degrees, they had an English 
Master ; a Little English Master ; Ancient M. • Grand Architect M. ; 
Perfect Architect M. ; Prussian Architect M. ; M. by the number 
fifteen ; M. of all degrees ; Cabalistic M. ; Coen M. ; Crowned M. ; 
M. of the Key of Masonry ; M. of English Lodges ; M. of French 
Lodges ; Mark M. ; M. of Paracelsic Masonry ; M. of Neapolitan 
Chapters; M. of Legitimate Lodges; M. of Masters; Most High 
and Puissant M. of Masters; Perfect M. ; Perfect M. of Secrets ; 
Perfect English M. ; M. of Egyptian Secrets ; M. of Hermetic 
Secrets ; Scotch M. ; Egyptian M. ; Elect M. of nine ; Little Elect M. ; 
M. in Israel ; M. in Perfect Architecture ; Hermetic M. ; Illustrious 
M. ; Illustrious M. of the number fifteen ; Illustrious M. of the Seven 
Cabalistic Secrets ; Irish M. ; Perfect Irish M. ; Puissant Irish M. ; 
Provost Irish M. ; Symbolic M. ; Mystic M. ; M. by Curiosity ; 
Perfect Hamburg M. ; Particular M. ; Past M. ; M. of Hermetic 
Philosophy ; Philosophical M. by the number three ; Philosophical 
M. by the number nine ; Pythagorean M. ; Four Times Venerable M. ; 
Royal M. ; Wise M. ; Secret M. ; Illustrious Symbolical M. ; Sublime 
Ancient M. ; Theosophic M. ; M. ad vitam ; True M. ; and Absolute 
M. 



80 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tion of Geometry to the requirements of moral duty, was 
circulated amongst the Lodges. 17 It was adapted to 
symbolical Masonry alone, and was generally attributed 
to the pen of Bro. Dunckerley. But in 1768 a severe 
attack on Masonry was commenced by an anonymous 
writer, who published a pamphlet under the extraordinary 
title of " Masonry the Way to Hell," 18 which created 
some sensation amongst the Metropolitan Craft, and pro- 
duced a paper war. I remember hearing a discussion on 
the subject in our Lodge. Some Brethren were inclined 
to understand it as a serious attack on the Order, while 
others considered it only as an ill-natured joke; how- 
ever, it was concluded that the only way of ascertain- 
ing the real sentiments of the author would be to feel 
his pulse by a reply. Bro. Thompson was, therefore, 
deputed to answer it, which he admirably effected ; 19 and 
another reply came from a quarter with which our Lodge 
had no connection. 20 The author of the obnoxious pam- 
phlet did not respond, and it was believed that his con- 
science accused him of having basely slandered a bene- 
volent institution, and that he thought it expedient to 
atone for his calumny by silence ; and the controversy — 
if it may be called by that name — terminated with a 
pamphlet bearing the triumphant title of "Masonry the 
Turnpike-Road to Happiness in this Life, and Eternal 
Happiness hereafter." 21 

" Amidst all this trifling, the age was not barren in 
legitimate and well-authenticated publications on pure 
Masonry. 22 But the gem of the period was the Candid 

17 See the G-olden Remains, vol. i., p. 15. 

18 "Masonry the Way to Hell; a Sermon, wherein is clearly 
proved, both from Reason and Scripture, that all who profess the 
Mvsteries are in a State of Damnation." London, Robinson and 
Roberts, 1768. 

19 "Remarks on a Sermon lately published, entitled 'Masonry the 
Way to Hell;' being a Defence of that Order against Jesuitical 
Sophistry and Calumny. By John Thompson." 1768. 

20 " An Answer to a certain Pamphlet, lately published under the 
solemn Title of ' A Sermon, or Masonry the Way to Hell.' By John 
Jackson, Philantropos." 1768. 21 London, Bladon, 1768. 

22 " Love to God and Man inseparable; a Sermon before tho 
Masons." 1765. " Charge to the Wolverhampton Lodge." 1765. 
Masonic Sermon, by the Rev. Thomas Bagnall." 1766. "On the 
Government of the Lodge; delivered before the Brethren of St. 
George's Lodge, No. 315, Taunton. By John Whitmash." 1765. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 81 

Disquisition of Wellins Calcott, 23 in which he has traced 
primitive Masonry from its origin ; explained its symbols 
and hieroglyphics, its social virtues and advantages ; 
suggested the propriety of building halls for the peculiar 
and exclusive practice of Masonry, and reprehended its 
slanderers with great but judicious severity ; for the un- 
principled charlatans were still working at their masked 
battery, catering for the morbid curiosity of the profane 
world, and their shafts flew in clouds about our heads. 24 
In 1769, our R. W. M. was appointed to the office of 
Grand Secretary, by the Duke of Beaufort, and in that 
capacity I accompanied him on a visit of inspection into 
the north of England ; and we found considerable varia- 
tions in the several systems of working amongst the 

23 "A Candid Disquisition of the Principles and Practices of the 
Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons ; 
together with some Strictures on the Origin. Nature, and Design of 
that Institution. By Wellins Calcott." London, 1769. 

34 The following spurious publications were supplied about this time 
to gratify the curiosity of the uninitiated: — "The Secrets of Mason- 
ry revealed ; by a disgusted Brother. Containing an ingenious Ac- 
count of their Origin, their Practices in the Lodges, Signs, and Watch- 
words, Proceedings at the Makings, &c." London, Scott, 1759. 
" Allegorical Conversations organized by Wisdom." Hiram, or tho 
Grand Master Key to the Door of both Ancient and Modern Free- 
masonry ; being an accurate Description of every Degree of the 
Brotherhood, as authorized and delivered in all good Lodges. Con- 
taining more than any Book on the Subject ever before published. 
By a Member of the Royal Arch." London, 1764. Second Edition, 
London, Griffin, 1766. " An Institute of Red Masonry." 1764! 
"Shibboleth; or every man a Freemason." 1765. " Solomon in all 
his Glory, or the Master Mason ; being a true Guide to the inmost 
Recesses of Freemasonry, both Ancient and Modern. Containing a 
minute Account of the Proceedings. By T. W. Translated from 
the French Original, published at Berlin, and burnt by Order of the 
King of Prussia, at the Intercession of the Freemasons." London, 
Robinson and Roberts, 1766. Second Edition, London, 1768. "The 
Three distinct Knocks, or the Door of the Ancient Freemasonry 
opened to all Men, neither naked or clothed, barefooted nor shod ; 
being an universal Description of all its branches, from its first use 
to this present time, as it is delivered in all Lodges. By W. 0. V. 
M." The sixth Edition. London, Sergeant, 1767. Seventh Edition, 
London, 1763. Eighth Edition, Clench, 1811. Ninth Edition, London, 
Hughes, 1825. "The Freemason stripped naked; or the whole Art 
and Mystery of Freemasonry made Plain and Easy to all Capacities, 
by a faithful Account of every Secret, from the first making of a 
Mason' till he is completely Master of every Branch of his Profession. 
By Charles Warren, Esq., late Grand Master of a regularly consti- 
tuted Lodge in the City of Cork." London, Isaac Fell, 1769. 



82 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Brethren of different localities. At the Lodge No. 209, 
holden at the Plume of Feathers, Bridge street, Chester, 
we inspected a curious floor-cloth, which had been 
painted only a short time previous, and contained some 
reference to the masonic innovations of France and 
Germany. It consisted of a Mosaic pavement, accessible 
by three steps, marked Audi, Vide, Tace, with the five- 
pointed blazing star in a circle occupying the centre, 
flanked by two Corinthian pillars, on the summit of 
which were placed the sun and moon. The plinth of 
the sinister column was charged with a diagram, repre- 
senting, probably, the Mark key-stone, while that on 
the dexter-side of the pavement was occupied by a lad- 
der in clouds. Each of these pillars was attended or 
guarded by a naked sword, the one pointed, and the 
other flaming, to represent Justice and Mercy, together 
with a Level and Plumb. Over the pavement, and rest- 
ing on the pillars, was an arch inscribed Sit Lux et Lux 
fuit, with a double key-stone supporting a sphere, and 
upon it the head of the Redeemer, as T. Gr. A. 0. T. U., 
surrounded by a nimbus ; beneath which was an altar 
supporting the Holy Bible, placed on a cushion, flanked 
by masonic emblems. Amongst the clouds above the 
arch, there appears a radiated triangle, with the word 
iiw. At the base of the floor-cloth are three objects ; 
the one an oblong square chest, or Lodge, with an end- 
less serpent on its lid, and the word ABPA3AE in front ; 
the centre, a cube, with the three masonic colours, and 
word fc^s (Agla,) one of the cabalistic names of the 
Deity; and the other, a tumulus, with the sprig of 
Cassia. Above them, the following inscription, oeon 
zebot senote SENIZE. I remember this floor-cloth 
distinctly, for it underwent a very particular examina- 
tion ; 25 and Bro. Hesletine took a sketch of it, and 
delivered a lecture on its peculiarities when he returned 
to town. 

< ; From Chester we proceeded to Barnard Castle, in 
the county of Durham, where we found Masonry shining 
with unsullied lustre, under the active superintendence 
of Bro. Hutchinson, who worked the details after a per- 

25 This floor-cloth is now in the Cestrian Lodge at Chester; of 
which my friend, Bro. Willoughby, of Birkenhead, has kindly 
favoured me with a sketch. 










Ti:biis\ed b 7 J7!o:W Leojiarcl & C^3(S3]5rnaiway¥ewYorJi 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. S3 

feet model. He delivered his own Lectures, Charges, 
and Orations, strictly adhering to the ancient landmarks 
of the Order ; and his example was followed by the 
Masters of other Lodges, who visited the Barnard Castle 
Lodge for the advantage of his instructions. Many of 
these detached pieces appeared in print, 26 and w T ere so 
much admired for the pure principles of Masonry which 
they enunciated, that the Fraternity at length requested 
Bro. H. to make a selection from his Lectures, and pub- 
lish them in a permanent form. He complied with the 
request, and produced a volume of such surpassing inter- 
est, that, after going through many editions, 27 it still 
retains its value, and is read with avidity by all who are 
desirous of information on the sterling and unchangeable 
doctrines of the Order." 28 

96 See my edition of the Spirit of Masonry, which includes all the 
works of Bro. Hutchinson. 

27 " The Spirit of Masonry, in Moral and Elucidatory Lectures, by 
W. Hutchinson." London, Wilkes and Goldsmith, 1775. Second 
Edition, Carlisle, Jollie, 1795 ; Third Edition, Carlisle, 1802; Fourth 
Edition, Edinburgh, MacEvan, 1813; Fifth Edition, Carlisle, 1814; 
Sixth Edition, London, 1815. Other editions have been published, 
and the last contains all Bro. Hutchinson's detached pieces. London, 
Spencer, 1843. 

23 In an Address, prefixed to the second edition, he says, with his 
usual benevolence of character, "I have been induced to give this 
edition to the press for the purpose of relieving the family of a 
worthy but indigent Brother, by the whole profits of the subscription 
and sale ; and doubt not that the motive to the present publication 
will procure it the attention of the Brethren of this excellent Insti- 
tution It is hoped that these Lectures may serve to 

detect the wretched artifices used by wicked men to impose upon 
the world ; and may also excite in the Fraternity the due exercise 
of those moral works which our profession enjoins." . 






S4 



CHAPTER VI. 

IT RAINS ! DUNCKERLEY. 

1770, 1771. 



"Do good to llicim that ben nedy, and that shall plevse mo more 
and be better to the than yf ihoti fastycl xl. yere on brede and water. 
I>«> good to thy power in all yt thou may, and put pease and Lore 
amonge thy neychbours, and it shall plovso me more and be better 
to the than If thow were every day rauyssht to heaven." — The 
Frovffytable Boktfir Marines Soul. — Wvnkin de Wokde. 

"Cryst then of hys hye graoe, 
Zeve ssow bqthe wytte and space, 
Wei Hiys boke to oonne and rede^ 
Eeven to have Tor zowre medo ! 

Anion ! anion ! so mot hyt be, 

Say we so alio per oharyte/." 

Old Masonic MS. 
"Thy watohful eye, a length of time, 

The wondrous oirelo did aitond; 

The glory and the power be thine, 
Which shall from age td age descend.' 1 

l)UNOKEKLEY. 



The Square 11ms moralized in continuance of its 
Revelations : — 

"The mind of man is an inscrutable mystery, past 
finding out. Talk of the mysteries of Freemasonry, 
(hoy are nothing to the enigma of the human mind. 
There arc so many springs of thought — so many motives 
of action, that positive results can never be divined by 
any series of preconceived notions. If a locomotive is 
out of order, the engineer will speedily set it to rights; 
if a vessel has lost its helm, the shipwright will restore 
it safe and sound; but if a man's ideas become disar- 
ranged, il is twenty to o\w whether they ever resume 
their original tone, [n the coursexxf my experience, I 
have witnessed many well-regulated Lodges; but the 
end has boon attained by so many cHfferenl processes, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. S5 

that I have often wondered how they should happen to 
conduce to the same harmonious conclusion. 

"Bro. llesletine was a good Master; and so was his 
successor, although differing toto coclo from each other in 
character and style of government. The former being- 
appointed to the high office of Grand Secretary, in May, 
17G9, I was transferred, at the ensuing election of 
officers, to a young but very zealous Mason, named 
Dagge, who had served as a warden in the Caledonian 
Lodge, holden at ' The Ship,' in Leadenhall street. 
Being in easy circumstances, he devoted the greater 
portion of his time to the study of Masonry, and the 
duties of the Lodge; and as industry generally produces 
excellence, he soon became a proficient in the art. 

"It will be plainly seen that Bro. Dagge had a great 
affection for the Order ; and if his enthusiasm did not, 
like that of the Spanish Don, cause him to mistake wind- 
mills for giants, Benedictines for enchanters, and a flock 
of harmless sheep for an army of ' divers and innumer- 
able nations,' bristling with lances, and advancing, with 
banners displayed and trumpets sounding to the charge, 
it sometimes led him into ludicrous situations. He 
would, occasionally, when he had an hour to spare, get 
the key of the Lodge-room from Mrs. Kitching, the 
woman in whose custody it was deposited, and, locking 
himself in, would open the Lodge, lecture the empty 
benches with becoming gravity, close the Lodge, lock 
the door, and take his departure, very much edified with 
this supererogatory exercise. 

" This occurred so often in the early part of his career 
as Master of the Lodge, that two or three of his most in- 
timate friends concocted a scheme for detecting him in 
the fact. Having arranged their plans, with the assist- 
ance of Mrs. Kitching, they watched his motions, and 
very soon had the satisfaction of surprising him in the 
act of riding his hobby at railroad speed. When he next 
called for the key, — after pretending to search for it, 
first in one place, then in another, — the woman said, 
' Oh, I remember, I swept out the Lodge, and dusted the 
furniture yesterday, and forgot to lock the door ; I must 
have left the key in the lock. You will find the door 
open, sir.' The door, indeed, was open, but the key had 
been removed ; and consequently he was unable to secure 
7 



86 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

himself, as usual, from interruption. He cared very lit- 
tle for this, as he had not the slightest anticipation of 
being intruded on. He placed me on his breast, and 
mounting his rostrum before the pedestal, opened the 
Lodge, and commenced the first lecture, addressing his 
imaginary Wardens and Brethren, with all due serious- 
ness and decorum, with 

" ' Bro. Senior Warden, where did you and I first 
meet?' and the worthy lecturer went swimmingly on 
through the first three sections. 

" While he was thus pleasantly engaged, Mrs. Kitch- 
ing, the agent of mischief, sent a message to the conspi- 
rators, to apprise them that the mouse was in the trap. 
By the time they were assembled below, Bro. Dagge 
had got into the marrow of his subject, and was enlight- 
ening the benches and tables on the theological virtues, 
with his mind wholly wrapped up in the fascinating em- 
ployment, when, at a pause in the discourse, he fancied 
he heard something like a suppressed titter. No — it 
could not be : his ears had deceived him. He looked at 
the entrance-door from the Tyler's room, — it was closely 
tyled : he listened, — all was silent, and he resumed the 
thread of his argument, on the chequered scenes of life 
figured in the Mosaic pavement of the Lodge. ' To-day 
success may crown our labours, while to-morrow we may 
be suddenly surprised,' — again the same noise was re- 
peated. ' What can it be?' said Bro. Dagge to himself; 
1 Oh, some people in the garden below. I wish Mrs. 
Kitching would be more on her guard.' Satisfied with 
this conclusion, he started off again in full career. ' Then 
let us ever act according to the dictates of reason and 
religion, and cultivate harmony, maintain charity, and live 
in unity and brotherly love !' 

"At this point the door opened, and in walked three 
Brethren, with Mrs. Kitching at their heels, freely in- 
dulging in the laugh they could no longer restrain. ' Capi- 
tal!' they shouted. 'Ah ! Dagge, my boy!' exclaimed 
Bro. Hesletine, 'I am glad to see you in harness! Take 
care the hobby does not throw you !' 

".'R. W. Sir,' said Bro. Rowland Berkeley, who was 
one of the party, with an appearance of great respect, 
1 we hope the Brethren are edified.' 

" ' They are very silent and attentive,' said Bro. Bot- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 87 

tomlev, ' as in duty bound ; and are, no doubt, consider- 
ably benefitted by such a learned dissertation.' 

" 'Aye,' rejoined Bro. Hesletine; 'sure never R. W. M. 
was blessed with such an obedient Lodge of Brethren. 
There is not a scabbed sheep amongst them. Hope 
you will favour us with a touch of your quality, R. W. 
Sir.' 

" ' What have you done with the key?' Mrs. Kitching 
slily asked, with a mischievous leer at her companions. 
' I hope you have not taken it out of the lock, for I don't 
see it there.' 

"This brought on an uproarious peal of laughter from 
the conspirators, as Bro. Dagge descended from his eleva- 
tion to meet his brother officers. 

" He met the joke," said the Square, " with his usual 
good nature, for he w^as too enthusiastic to care anything 
for their jeers. Finis coronat opus was his motto, and he 
worked it out famously. Freemasonry was his hobby. 
He rode it hard, and it mattered little who saw him 
mounted. And this is the feeling which leads to success 
and eminence, as it actually did in his case, for he rose to 
the office of S. G. W. in 1778. 

"At the expiration of Bro. Dagge's year, during which 
the circumstances of the Lodge were greatly improved, 
I had the good fortune to fall into the hands of the most 
eminent Mason of the age," my garrulous companion 
continued, — "Bro. Thomas Dunckeriey, an expert Master, 
and a good tactician. He was supposed to be the natural 
son of King George II., and his manners did not belie his 
breeding. 1 He was a perfect gentleman and a ripe scholar, 

1 The anecdote is too interesting to be passed over in silence. It is 
thus related by his biographer : "In the year 1760, on his return from 
the siege of Quebec, an event happened which could not but fill him 
with astonishment ; as it placed him in a new and most extraordinary 
point of view. A lady, receiving the sacrament on her death bed, 
made a declaration in all the awful solemnity of the occasion, by 
which it appeared that Bro. Dunckeriey owed his birth to the first 
Personage in the kingdom ; and Nature was determined that it never 
should be questioned."— (F. M. Mag., 1793, p. 378.) And those who 
have seen his portrait, which now occupies a prominent situation in 
the Preparing Room of the Royal Cumberland Lodge, at Bath, have 
been struck with the resemblance which it bears to the Royal Family 
now on the throne of England. Bro. Dunckeriey, on this discovery, 
adopted the Royal Arms, with the bend sinister for distinction, and 
assumed, in his confidential correspondence, the name of Fitz-George, 



88 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

combining a knowledge of science and philosophy with 
grace and dignity of deportment, and the uniform prac- 
tice of every moral and religious duty. At the period 
now under consideration, he was a student at one of the 
inns of court, and was in due time called to the bar. 2 

"Though conversant in scientific and philosophical 
researches, he was of too virtuous and vigorous a frame 
of mind, and too well grounded in his religious and moral 
principles, ever to suffer philosophy to lead to infidelity; 
bat all the Christian truths received his most hearty con- 
currence, and all the Christian virtues his constant prac- 
tice. 

"In the Lodge he intermingled the fortiter in re so 
judiciously with the suavitcr in modo, that, while the 
Society over which he presided was in the highest state 
of discipline, there was an ease and comfort amongst the 
Brethren which elevated the character of the Lodge, and 
procured for us the honour of many distinguished visit- 
ors, who all admired the quiet and easy deportment of 
Bro. Dunckerley in the chair, and the orderly and respect- 
ful conduct of the Brethren. 

"In conducting the business of the Lodge, Bro. Dunck- 
erley did not content himself with the usual common- 
place demonstrations contained in the Lodge lectures, 
but, like a skilful navigator, boldly launched forth into 
unknown seas, in the hope of discovering regions hitherto 
unexplored, where he might work a virgin soil in search 
of unfolded riches, or detect the germ of new and inter- 
esting sources of knowledge. And he was eminently 
successful ; for he discovered and brought to light a hid- 
den vein of science, which had escaped the penetration 
of all the eminent men who had preceded him in the 
same track. His indefatigable exertions and self-devotion 

and the motto, Fato non merito. I have in my possession, by the 
kindness of Bro. Percy Wells, the present W. M. of the Eoyal Cum- 
berland Lodge (1854), a genuine impression of his seal. 

2 At the demise of George II., which happened almost at the mo- 
ment of the above disclosure, his friends, . who were of high rank, 
laid his case before the new king, who generously allowed him £100 
a year, which was subsequently augmented to £800, out of the privy 
purse ; and this, with the profits of his profession, put him into easy 
circumstances ; and it is duo to his memory to add, that his charities 
were boundless, and the destitute Brother never applied to him in 
vain. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. S9 

to the holy cause soon advanced him to the greatest dig- 
nities Freemasonry had it in her power to bestow. 

" By the indefatigable assiduity of this truly masonic 
luminary, Masonry made considerable progress, not only 
within his own province of Hampshire, but in many 
other counties in England. In grateful testimony of his 
zealous exertions for many years to promote the honour 
and interest of the Society, the Grand Lodge conferred 
upon him the rank of Past Senior Grand Warden, and 
that in all processions he was entitled to take place next 
the present Senior Grand Warden for the time being. 

" He was also Provincial Grand Master for the city 
and county of Bristol, the counties of Dorset, Essex, 
Gloucester, Hereford, Somerset, Southampton, and the 
Isle of Wight; Grand Superintendent and Past Grand 
Master of Royal Arch Masons for the city and county of 
Bristol, the counties of Dorset, Essex, Gloucester, Here- 
ford, Kent, Nottingham, Somerset, Southampton, Surrey, 
Suffolk, Sussex, and Warwick, under the patronage of 
His Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence; and Most 
Eminent and Supreme Grand Master of Knights of Rosa 
Crucis, Templars, K. H., &c, of England, 3 under His 
Royal Highness Prince Edward, Patron of the Order. 4 

"Bro. Dunckerley was well known as a Mason," the 
Square continued, "and had acquired a competent gene- 
ral knowledge of the Craft before the period in which I 
am introducing him to your notice, for he delivered a 
Charge at Plymouth in 1757 on the Light and Truth of 
Masonry, 5 which in a printed form spread through the 

3 Bro. Dunckerley introduced a revised Lecture into the military 
degrees, which was received into the several Encampments under 
the designation of " Dunckerley's Sections." A copy of this docu- 
ment has been placed in my hands by Bro. Wells, and I find it con- 
cise, but perfectly comprehensive and intelligible. He has also 
favoured me with an impression of the Official Seal which he used to 
verify his documents as Gr. M. of Templars, and Rosa Crucis. 

4 " These masonic titles show the high sense which the Gr. Lodge 
entertained of his abilities and exertions ; the great trust reposed in 
him by the Heir Apparent and his illustrious Brothers ; and the very 
great esteem and regard with which he is honoured (we had almost 
said adored) by hundreds of Brethren in the above-mentioned coun- 
ties." — (Freemasons' Mag., 1793, p. 377.) 

5 "The Light and Truth of Masonry explained; being the sub- 
stance of a Charge delivered at Plymouth in April, 1757. By Thomas 
Dunckerley." Davey and Law, 1757. See Golden Rem., vol. i., 
p. 137. 



90 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

length and breadth of the land, and will be known and 
admired as long as Masonry endures. I had the gratifica- 
tion of being present at its delivery, and can assure you 
that the exquisite grace of the orator, and the rich 
modulation of his musical voice, entranced the hearers. 
The feelings of the Brethren were wound up to such a 
pitch of intensity that a pin might have been heard to 
drop in the midst of that numerous assembly. There 
was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour. 

" After this time he saw a great deal of service as an 
officer in the navy, and was at the taking of Quebec. 
The roar of cannon, arid the outcry of bloody conflict, 
however, proved insufficient to stifle the still, small voice 
of benevolence and peace which reigned triumphant in 
his bosom ; and he had only returned to this country a 
short time before he was induced to accept the office 
of K. W. M. of our Lodge. He delivered two other 
addresses, — one at Marlborough, 6 and the other at Col- 
chester, 7 which increased his popularity as a Mason, and 
were printed and extensively circulated amongst the 
Craft. 

" Bro. Dunckerley was the oracle of the Grand Lodge, 
and the accredited interpreter of its Constitutions. His 
decision, like the law of the Medes and Persians, was 
final on all points both of doctrine and discipline, and 
against it there was no appeal. His views of Masonry 
were liberal, and he despised sectarian controversy. He 
frequently visited the Ancient Masons' Lodges for the 
purpose of ascertaining what was the actual difference 
between the two systems, as Lawrence Dermott, in the 
Ahiman Rezon, had confidently boasted of the superiori- 
ty of their mode of work over that which was recom- 
mended by the legitimate Grand Lodge ; and he carefully 
culled its flowers, and transplanted them into Constitu- 
tional Masonry; for he actually found amongst the an- 
cients, to his undisguised astonishment, several material 
innovations in their system, including some alteration of 

6 September 11, 1769. 

7 "A Sermon preached at St. Peter's Church in Colchester, June 
24, 1777. By W. Martin Deake; before the Provincial Grand Master 
and the Grand Lodge of Essex. To which is added, a Charge, by 
Bro. Dunckerley, and an Address, by Bro. Henry Chalmers." Col- 
chester, 1778. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 91 

the Old Landmarks, and a new application of the Mas- 
ter's Word. As John Wesley is said to have observed, 
when he adopted some popular ditty to his collection of 
hymns, — 'It is a pity the devil should monopolize all the 
best tunes,' so our Bro. Dunckerley, how loudly soever the 
self-styled Ancients might blow their schismatical trum- 
pet, and proclaim the exclusive excellence of their schism, 
resolved that they should not appropriate to themselves 
a single pearl of any real value towards the elucidation 
of the Craft. And hence, when he was authorized by 
the Grand Lodge to construct a new code of Lectures by 
a careful revision of the existing ritual, and a collation of 
all the ancient forms, he executed the task so well, that 
the Grand Lodge adopted it without alteration, and en- 
joined its practice on all the Lodges under its jurisdiction. 

"These were the palmy days of Masonry," said the 
Square, exultingly, "and it is doubtful whether it has 
ever been in greater repute than under the direction of 
this learned and philosophical Brother. In one instance, 
he certainly laid himself open to the charge of building 
on another man's foundation, for he reconstructed Der- 
mott's Royal Arch, and introduced it into the Grand 
Lodge of England. It was a bold attempt; but from 
the patronage of the Duke of Clarence, united with his 
own influence in Grand Lodge, it was eminently success- 
ful. I cannot deny but it was an innovation, for it 
absolutely disarranged the Landmarks, by transferring 
the Master's Word to a subsidiary Degree. And so it 
was generally considered at its first introduction. It 
was like grafting a crab upon an apple-stock. But time 
has effected wondrous changes. The crab has ripened 
into a most delicious fruit, and the improved Royal Arch 
Degree is now considered the perfection of Masonry. 8 

"Bro. Dunckerley found among the ancient Masons a 
French work, which, taken as a corollary to their profes- 
sions of superior antiquity, constituted a curious anomaly 
that is deserving of a passing notice, its professed object 
being to rebut the claims of Masonry to a high antiquity, 

8 I have in my possession a copy of the R. A. Lecture which was 
introduced by Bro. Dunckerley into Grand Lodge on the above 
occasion. It is a curious and interesting document, as constituting a 
fair evidence of the nature of R,. A. Masonry at its commencement 
in 1740. 



92 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

and to limit its existence to the last two hundred years. 
The author confidently asserts that it was a purely 
English invention, never contradicted by the Fraternity 
when speaking with each other in confidence, and tacitly 
acknowledged by all foreign Lodges, which are nothing 
more than branches from this original stock. And he 
asks triumphantly, 'But what happy mortal amongst the 
English has been able so to interest the heavens in his 
favour, as to gain the glorious title of founder of this 
Order? There are few who will guess at him from the 
hints I have given, yet still fewer who, like him, could 
penetrate into the very heart of man, could trace all its 
windings, and draw from him all his thoughts ; fewer 
who, like him, could at one glance discern the advantages 
of such an Institution, the means of establishing it with 
success, and of making it useful to his political and reli- 
gious designs. There are few whom (as the poet says) 
Jupiter eyes so partially, as suddenly to dispel the night 
which environs them, and bringing them into light, to 
show them truths concealed from others under shadows 
and hieroglyphics. In a word, it wanted a Cromwell to 
insure success. A genius so vast as his could alone 
embrace a project of such importance, and contrive the 
means of supporting it, until its final and surprising exe- 
cution astonished the world by a most terrible metamor- 
phosis. If we refer to the masonic deliberations of those 
days, we may discover in them storms continually in- 
creasing, and powers sleeping on the very verge of a 

precipice The Order frequently changed its name 

in the first year of its formation. That which it now 
bears was the first ; its partisans afterwards called them- 
selves Levellers, then Independents, afterwards Fifth 
Monarchy Men. At last, they resumed their original 
name of Freemasons, which they keep to this day. They 
had a standard upon which was a lion couchant, to desig- 
nate the lion of the tribe of Judah, with this motto, — 
Who shall dare to rouse him up?' 

"What do you think of this, sir? But more extraor- 
dinary things are yet to come. The author gives the 
following unique application of the symbolical Temple 
of Solomon : ' The Society adopted the Temple of Solo- 
mon for its symbol, because it was the most stable and 
the most magnificent structure that ever existed, whether 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 93 

we consider its foundation or superstructure ; so that of 
all the societies men have invented, no one was ever 
more firmly united, or better planned, than the Masons. 
Its chief aim. is to conciliate and tame the passions, to 
establish among men the spirit of peace and concord, 
which may render them impenetrable to the feelings of 
hatred and dissension, those bitter enemies which poison 
the best of our days ; — to inculcate sentiments of honour 
and probity, which may render men more attentive to 
their respective duties; — to teach a dutiful obedience to 
the orders of parents and princes ; — to support towards 
one another the tender relation of Brothers, by which 
name they address each other; — and, in a word, to form 
an admirable sect, whose only aim is liberty, love, and 
equality. If this interpretation should not be to the 
taste of the candidate, or if he feels any repugnance to 
adopt it, they well know how to reply in a manner still 
more artificial. The Temple of Solomon, then, signifies 
nothing more than a Temple sacred to the Virtues, 
which are practised by the Society in the greatest per- 
fection; a dungeon destined for the vices, where these 
monsters groan under the most rigorous confinement. . . 
. . . The edifices which Freemasons build are nothing 
more than virtues or vices to be erected or destroyed; 
and in this case heaven only occupies their minds, which 
soar above a corrupted world. The Temple of' Solomon 
denotes reason and intelligence, &c. 



'9 



9 It is believed that this authority, and a few other writers of the 
same school, induced the English Opium Eater to assert, in the 
London Magazine for 1824, as a fact established upon historical re- 
search, "that before the beginning of the 17th century, no traces are 
to be met with of the Masonic Order." And he adds, "that although 
the Arabs have been the instructors of the moderns in mathematics, 
astronomy, astrology, medicine, materia medica, and chemistry — and 
although it is very probable that from the Arabs might have original- 
ly proceeded the conceit of physical mysteries without the aid of 
magic, such as the art of gold-making, the invention of a panacea, 
the philosopher's stone, and other chimeras of alchymy which after- 
wards haunted the heads of the Kosicrucians and the elder Freema- 
sons ; but of cabalisrn and theosophy, which occupied both sects in 
that early period, the Arabs as Mahometans could know nothing. I 
am willing to concede," he concludes, "that alchymists, cabalists, 
and dealers in the black art, there were unquestionably before the 
17th century, but not Kosicrucians and Freemasons, connected into 
a secret Society and distinguished by peculiar characteristics." 



94 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"We had once a rich scene in our Lodge, during Bro. 
Dunckerley's Mastership, which carries with it a useful 
lesson, and ought not to be disregarded," proceeded my 
gossipping companion, who, like the barber in the Ara- 
bian Nights, would not suffer anybody to talk but himself. 
" A stranger presented himself as a visitor, was examined, 
and admitted. He proved to be of a respectable stand- 
ing in society, although on the present occasion he lent 
himself to the perpetration of a very disreputable affair; 
and the R. W. M., with all his tact and discrimination, 
was very nearly outwitted. An ancient law of Masonry 
provided that no visitor, however skilled in the art, shall 
be admitted into a Lodge unless he is personally known 
to, or well vouched and recommended by, some of the 
Brethren then present. Many occasions arose in which 
it had been deemed expedient to remit the strict observ- 
ance of the rule, and such had been the case in the 
present instance. The intruder, however, had not occu- 
pied his precarious position more than five minutes, before 
a venerable Brother called aloud, — 'It rains !' 

" Brother Dunckerley's presence of mind did not 
forsake him in this emergency, and he gravely demanded 
of the visitor, — ' Where were you made a Mason V 

" The answer was at hand. ' In a Lodge at the King's 
Head, Gravesend.' 

" This reply betrayed him ; the daw was stripped of 
his borrowed plumes. The Brethren rose simultaneously 
from their seats in some degree of unnecessary alarm, 
like a flock of sheep in the presence of a strange dog. 10 

" Indeed, if the Wandering Jew had appeared among 
them in propria persona, they would scarcely have exhibited 
a more urgent demand for his summary expulsion than 
was implied in the loud and universal murmur of disap- 
probation which was heard from every part of the Lodge. 
The intruder was perplexed ; he saw his error, but knew 
not the remedy : and when the R. W. M. quietly observed : 
' Now, sir, will you be kind enough to favour us with 
your version of the story,' he replied, in the language of 
Canning's Knife Grinder: — 

10 The Square is inclined to be facetious here. A strange dog 
(kvcov), filling the flock with apprehension, is brought forward as an 
apt comparison to the appearance of a strange eaves-dropper (cowan) 
amongst the Brethren of a Tyled Lodge. — P. D. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 95 

"'Story! — Lord bless you! — I have none to tell! I 
was anxious to see a Lodge of Brethren at work; and 
one of your seceding Members furnished me with answers 
to a few questions which he said would be proposed in 
the Tyler's room, and for a frolic I was determined to 
test their truth, as, at the very worst, I could only be 
rejected, which I did not conceive would be either a 
disappointment or a disgrace ; for, to say the truth, I 
scarcely expected to gain admittance into the Lodge.' 

" What was to be done? The dilemma was pressing, 
and various opinions were proposed and discussed, while 
the delinquent was securely locked up in the preparing- 
room, and left in darkness to his own agreeable reflec- 
tions. The confusion in King Agramante's camp, so well 
described by Ariosto, where one said one thing and 
another the reverse, may convey some idea of the con- 
sternation which ensued. All spoke together, and the 
reins of authority seemed to have been unnaturally 
snapped asunder; for the R. W. M. had retired with his 
Wardens behind the pedestal, leaving the Brethren in the 
body of the room to denounce or threaten at their 
pleasure ; and their objurgations were rather amusing 
than otherwise. One or two young members, in the 
exuberance of their zeal, thoughtless and ill-judging, 
like sailors at the prospect of a wreck breaking open the 
spirit-room, jumped upon the benches, like Victor Hugo's 
scholars in Notre Dame, 11 vociferating, — ' Out with him! 
Down with the intruder ! Turn him out !' 

" Others were more moderate. One Brother observed, 
in a deprecatory tone of voice : ' He ought not to have 
been admitted.' A fat Brother, with a red face peering 
from under a periwig and queue, who had not taken the 
trouble, amidst all this excitement, to move from his seat, 
quietly asked, 'Who examined him V And others, acting 
under the impulse so universally displayed by the young 
men on the bench, were clamorous that the watch should 
be called in, and the intruder transferred to the round- 
house. 

" Meanwhile, Bro. Dunckerley had matured his plan, 
and having ascended into the chair, and given the signal 
which appeased the tumult, and brought every Brother 
to his seat in a moment, he said : — 

11 The Square anachronizes. — P. D, 



96 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" 'Brethren, — I need not tell you that we are placed 
at this moment in a situation where a false step may 
involve not only this Lodge but the entire Craft in 
unknown difficulties. It was the maxim of Socrates, — 
it is well to punish an enemy, but it is better to make 
him your friend. Now we must not content ourselves 
with asking who examined him ? or why he was admit- 
ted ? for he is actually amongst us ; and it is too late to 
prevent the intrusion. And if we were to adopt that 
worthy Brother's advice who recommended him to be 
turned out, the matter would not be greatly mended ; — 
the principal difficulty would still remain. I conceive, 
therefore, that the wisest course we can pursue under 
these untoward circumstances will be, to use our best 
endeavors towards converting this temporary evil into a 
permanent benefit, as the bee extracts honey from the 
most poisonous flowers, by transforming the unwelcome 
cowan into a worthy Mason. For this purpose I propose 
that — if his station in life be not objectionable — the pro- 
vision of our bye-laws respecting the admission of candi- 
dates be suspended in this single instance, and that he be 
initiated on the spot.' 

" The proposition was regularly seconded by the S. W., 
and was unanimously agreed to ; and the intruder was 
again introduced by the Senior E. A. P., for we had in 
our Lodges at that time neither Deacons nor Inner 
Guard. The R. W. M. first examined him as to his resi- 
dence, trade, and respectability of character; and these 
inquiries being satisfactorily disposed of, the question was 
proposed, whether he would adopt the alternative of 
being made a Mason, to avoid the disgrace of being posted 
as an impostor. 

"He said nothing could be more acceptable to his 
wishes. In fact, it was the very proposal he intended 
to make himself, as an atonement for his error, and a 
means of wiping away his disgrace. He accordingly re- 
ceived the first degree, and not only proved an excellent 
and zealous Mason, but in due course rose to the chair of 
the Lodge. 

" The origin of the above significant watchword," con- 
tinued the Square, prosingly, as if he was taking credit 
to himself for communicating some very important secret 
which was known to none but himself, — " Don't speak l" 
— he ejaculated, in a sharp and eager tone of voice, as I 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 97 

exhibited indications of a reply, — " Don't speak, and you 
shall hear! In our time, a cowan, or over-curious unini- 
tiated person, who was detected in the fact of listening, 
or attempting to procure, by any undue means, a know- 
ledge of the peculiar secrets of Masonry, was termed an 
eavesdropper, from the nature of the infliction to which 
he was subjected. He was placed under the eaves of a 
house in rainy weather, and retained there till the drop- 
pings of the water ran in at the collar of his coat, and 
out at his shoes, and, therefore, the phrase, ' it rains,'' 
indicates that a cowan is present, and the proceedings 
must be suspended. 

" Bro. Dunckerley always endeavoured to keep the 
Lodge in good humour, and it was seldom, indeed, that 
he was unsuccessful. He adopted a very judicious 
method of lecturing, which never failed to interest the 
most careless Brother. His lectures were often delivered 
extemporaneously, and interspersed with amusing anec- 
dotes. He knew the value of that Horatian maxim, 
Misce stidtitiam consiliis brevem, and used it with a most 
beneficial effect. He was an acquaintance of the cele- 
brated lexicographer Dr. Johnson ; and I remember, on 
some particular occasion, when the Lodge was remark- 
ably full, he entertained the Brethren, at the close of a 
copious illustration of the Theological and Cardinal Vir- 
tues, with the following characteristic sketch. A person 
in company with Ursa Major, as the learned doctor was 
sometimes denominated, said he had been so unfortunate 
as to displease Dr. Johnson, and, wishing to reinstate 
himself in his good opinion, thought he could not do it 
more effectually than by decrying such light amusements 
as those of tumbling and rope-dancing. In particular, 
he asserted that a rope-dancer was, in his opinion, the 
most despicable of human beings. Johnson (awfully 
rolling himself as he prepared to speak, and bursting out 
into a thundering tone) said, 'Sir, you might as well say 
that St. Paul was the most despicable of human beings. 
Let us beware how we petulantly and ignorantly traduce 
a character which puts all other characters to shame. 
Sir, a rope-dancer concentrates in himself all the Theo- 
logical and Cardinal Virtues. We will begin with Tem- 
perance. Sir, if the joys of the bottle entice him one 
inch beyond the line of sobriety, his life or his limbs must 



98 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

pay the forfeit of his excess. Then, sir, there is Faith : 
without unshaken confidence in his own powers, and full 
assurance that the rope is firm, his temperance will be 
of little advantage ; the unsteadiness of his nerves will 
prove as fatal as the intoxication of his brain. Next, sir, 
we have Hope : a dance so dangerous who ever exhibited 
unless lured by the hope of fortune or fame ? Charity 
next follows : and what instance of Charity shall be 
opposed to that of him who, in the hope of administering 
to the gratification of others, braves the hiss of multi- 
tudes, and derides the dread of death ? Then, sir, what 
man will withhold from the funambulist the praise of 
Justice, who considers his inflexible uprightness, and 
that he holds his balance with so steady a hand as neither 
to incline to the one side or the other ? Nor, in the next 
place, is his Prudence more disputable than his justice. 
And, sir, those who shall refuse to the rope-dancer the 
applauses due to temperance, faith, hope, charity, justice, 
and prudence, yet will scarcely be so hardened as to deny 
him the laurels of fortitude. He that is content to totter 
on a cord while his fellow-mortals tread securely on the 
broad basis, of terra Jirma — who performs the jocund 
evolutions of the dance on a superficies compared with 
which the verge of a precipice is a stable station, may 
rightfully snatch the wreath from the conqueror and the 
martyr — may boast that he exposes himself to hazards 
from which he might fly to the cannon's mouth as a 
refuge or a relaxation ! Sir, let us now be told no more 
of the infamy of the rope-dancer !' 

" The masonic career of Bro. Dunckerley was brilliant 
as the stately progress of a comet amidst the permanent 
orbs of heaven ; and he was regarded, according to the 
testimony of an eminent contemporary, as a great ma- 
sonic luminary. He was truly a Master in Israel ; and, 
by the powerful efficacy of his moral example, controlled 
the destinies of the Order, which 

' From pole to pole, 

Its sacred law expands, 
Far as the mighty waters roll, 
To bless remotest lands.' 

And his memory will be dear to every true-hearted 
Brother as long as Masonry shall endure. When his 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 99 

year of office expired, the Brethren earnestly entreated 
him to retain possession of the chair; but his public 
duties left him no time to devote to the business of a 
private Lodge, and he felt himself obliged to decline the 
offer, although he expressed his extreme reluctance to 
dissolve his connection with a Society of Brethren, 
amongst whom he had enjoyed so many hours of unal- 
loyed happiness. 

" He did not, however," the Square continued, as if he 
knew not when he had said enough in praise of this dis- 
tinguished Brother, " he did not cease to evince, on all 
occasions, an anxious desire to promote the sacred cause 
of Masonry long after his resignation of the Chair of our 
Lodge ; and under his able superintendence the affairs of 
his Provinces were prosperous and well managed ; 12 for 

12 Amongst other instances of benefits -which were derived from his 
zeal and activity as a P. G. M., may be mentioned with commenda- 
tion, his resuscitation of the old Lodge, No. 59, according to the 
authority of the engraved Lists, but numbered 39 in the printed 
Quarterly Communications, holden at the White Bear in Bath, which 
was established May 13, 1733, and its union with the Royal Cum- 
berland Lodge in that city, No. 309, in 1784. The latter had been 
recently instituted by himself; and he projected the junction to 
enable it to take precedence in the Province by the adoption of the 
former number, which, at the closing up of the Lists of Lodges in 
1792, was advanced to No. 36. I have the pleasure of offering to my 
readers the following reminiscence of this eminent Mason, extracted 
from the private MSS. of Bro. Charles Phillott, a banker in Bath, 
who was initiated by Bro. Dunckerley, and proved, for many years, 
an active and zealous member of the Lodge. It appears to have been 
the first meeting after the union of the two Lodges. 

"At a Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons called the Royal 
Cumberland Lodge, held at the Bear Inn, in the city of Bath, on 
Wednesday, the 11th day of August, 1784, pursuant to a Warrant of 
Dispensation for that purpose, under the hand and seal of Thomas 
Dunckerley, Esq., Provincial Grand Master for the counties of Essex, 
Gloucester, Dorset, and Somerset, bearing date the 7th day of August, 
1784. The following Brethren were assembled. 

"Brother Thomas Dunckerley, P. G. M. — M. pro tern. 
" William Street, S. W.— pro tern. 
" Milborne West, J. W. — pro tern. 
" Thomas West, T. — pro tern. 
" garry Atwood, ) M fe f he gaid Lod 
" Philip George, $ ° 

John Smith, P. G. Sy. ] 

Thomas Woolley, P. G. Stew. ! v - . 
Peter Appleby, P. G. Stew. f vlsltors - 
" William Birchall. J 

" A Lodge of the first degree was opened in due form, and it was 



100 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Freemasonry was all in all to Bro. Dunckerley, whether 
as an employment, an amusement, or a medium for the 
practice of every moral and social duty. He gave 
numerous masonic parties at Hampton Court, where he 
resided, to eminent Brethren in all classes of society, 
amongst whom I could name, if I were so disposed, 
many estimable men, whose virtues shed a lustre on 
their rank and title ; and where was the Brother who 
did not covet the honour of a card to these most agree- 
able reunions ? Nor did his profuse hospitality, though 
it trenched awfully on his purse and his time, prevent 
his regular attendance on the public meetings and festi- 
vals of the Craft, and particularly in those provinces 
where he held rank. But it made him poor. And, 
coupled with his liberality, which never suffered a needy 
Brother to apply in vain, his pecuniary difficulties ceased 
only with his life. Qiiando idlum inveniemiis parent ? He 
died at Portsmouth, a.d. 1795, at the age of 71 years, 
universally lamented by the Fraternity." 13 

proposed and unanimously agreed that Charles Phillott, of the said 
city of Bath, Banker, be made a Mason. He was called in ; received 
the first degree, and the Lodge was then closed. After which a Lodge 
of the second degree was opened, when our Brother Charles Phillott 
was passed, and the Lodge closed." 

13 A writer (Fidus) in The Freemasons' Quarterly Review, 1842, 
exclaims, when recording this event, "Alas! for human nature! 
Bro. Dunckerley' s masonic example was lost on his son, who embit- 
tered the last years of his existence. Extravagance straitened the 
means — disorderly conduct afflicted the mind of the fond, unhappy 
parent. Every means were tried ineffectually to reclaim the wretched 
son. At his father's death, there being no provision left, he became 
a wanderer and an outcast. At last he became a bricklayer's labourer, 
and was seen carrying a hod on his shoulders, ascending a ladder 



This poor fellow's misfortunes and misconduct at length terminated, 
and the grandson of a king died in a cellar in St. Giles's." 



101 



CHAPTER VII. 

DISCIPLINE. DR. DODD 

1772—1777. 



" Sezets, senhors, e aiats pas ; 
So que direni ben escoutas ; 
Car la lisson, es de vertat, 
Non hy a mot de falsetat." 

Baynouard. 

" Silent be they, and far from hence remove, 
By scenes like ours not likely to improve ; 
Who never paid the honour' d muse her rights, 
Who senseless lived in wild, impure delights ; 
I bid them once, I bid them twice begone, 
I bid them thrice, in still a louder tone : 
Far hence depart, whilst we with voice and song, 
Our solemn feast, our tuneful nights prolong." 

Aristophanes. — Beloe's Translation. 

"Freemasonry annihilates all parties, conciliates all private opin- 
ions, and renders those who, by their Almighty Father, were made of 
one blood, to be also of one heart and one mind ; — Brethren bound, 
firmly bound together by that indissoluble tie, the love of their God, 
and the love of their kind." — Dr. Dodd. 



"It was the observation of a wisdom greater than 
man can boast," said the Square, resuming its Revela- 
tions, "that a house or kingdom divided against itself 
cannot stand; and experience proves the soundness of 
the axiom. This proverb may be applied with great 
propriety to an institution whose members are segregated 
from the rest of the world by obligations, customs, and 
laws of a peculiar nature, yet retain their independence 
of character by a perfect freedom of thought and action. 
In snch a society a judicious ruler is absolutely essential, 
not merely to its prosperity, but to its very existence. 
If the shepherd be careless or inefficient, the flock will be 
scattered abroad. It will be in vain to apply stimulants. 
All love for the institution will vanish if it lack the food 
which gives it vitality and freshness. 



102 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUA.RE. 

"Unity is the mainspring of Freemasonry. Destroy 
that, and the machinery will fall in pieces. The divine 
science will be unattractive, if divested of its divinity or 
vivifying power. When the soul has departed, the body 
becomes a putrid mass of worthless carrion. It will be 
a difficult matter to preserve the links in the chain of 
unity unbroken, unless the Master pursue an accommoda- 
ting policy, which may cause the Brethren to be mutually 
pleased with each other's society, accompanied by an 
inflexible regard to discipline, which, while it allows 
freedom of action, will preserve inviolable the respectful 
submission that is due to the chair, as its undoubted and 
unalienable prerogative. 

"These remarks," continued the Square, "have arisen 
out of the condition of our Lodge at the point of time 
to which events have gradually conducted us ; for I have 
now the misfortune to record another melancholy in- 
stance of mismanagement and its consequences; which 
will show that a man may be extremely clever and 
intelligent in the ordinary business of life, and yet be 
incapable of conducting the affairs of a Lodge, so as to 
produce unanimity amongst the Brethren, and prosperity 
to the Institution. 

" Our next Master, who was installed on St. John's 
day, Dec, 27, 1771, as Bro. Dunckerley's successor, was 
a medical practitioner of some repute. Being an intelli- 
gent young man, and fond of Masonry, he had passed 
through the preliminary offices creditably, and had not 
only acquired a competent knowledge of the Lectures 
and ceremonies, but to a certain extent possessed the con- 
fidence of the Brethren. 

"But, alas! my friend, with all this sail, he wanted 
ballast. Like Sterne's YoricJc, he was utterly unpractised 
in the world; and at the age of thirty, knew just about 
as well how to steer his course in it, as a romping, un- 
suspicious girl of thirteen. His great failing was a 
constitutional infirmity which biased his judgment with 
respect to the progress of time. Temjms fugit was no 
motto for him. He could not understand it. And, conse- 
quently, he seldom kept an appointment with any degree 
of punctuality. His friends and patients had frequent 
occasion to complain of neglect and disappointment in 
expected professional visits, and the receipt of medicine. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 103 

In a word, p'rocrastinotiaii became a habit, and he strove 
not to conquer it. 

"When first installed into the Chair of our Lodge, he 
appeared likely to realize the expectations of his support- 
ers, and prove an excellent and irreproachable Master. 
But it was soon found that he had no firmness of charac- 
ter. Serious personal disputes were allowed to be 
introduced into the Lodge, which, finally, deprived him 
of the power to command. And the reins of authority 
being once relaxed, confusion usurped the place of order, 
— discussion was confined within no decent limits, — the 
disputants were clamorous to be heard, — all spoke 
together, — sometimes half a dozen Brethren being on 
their legs at once, till the Lodge became a type of Bed- 
lam. Some Brethren were expelled, others withdrew, 
and Bro. Dunckerley soon ceased to attend in his place. 

" The corpus delicti was in the K. W. M., who was fre- 
quently admonished in private by some judicious friends; 
but he was as obstinate as the Abbess of Andouillet's 
mules. You might bou, bou, bou, — fou, fou, fou, — gre, 
gre, gre, — tre, tre, tre, — -to all eternity; he was perfectly 
insensible to every thing but his own egregious vanity ; 
and even if you gave him a smart cut with the whip, to 
rouse his sluggish zeal into activity, he would merely 
switch his tail, — the mule was still a mule, — and remain- 
ed so to the end of the chapter. 

"I have mentioned his want of punctuality," said the 
Square. "This was another failing which produced 
strange consequences ; but it appeared to be insuperable, 
and not to be suppressed. After a few months, he began 
to be a quarter of an hour, then half an hour behind his 
time, sometimes an hour. This conduct, as it was 
nightly repeated, disgusted the Brethren ; and they gradu- 
ally dropped off, when the Master did not appear at the 
time named in the summons. They refused to wait, 
because it introduced another evil of no small magni- 
tude ; it delayed the closing of the Lodge to an untimely 
hour, which proved a source of great inconvenience to 
many of the old members. 

" This unpropitious course was continued, until, from 
a Lodge of thirty or forty Brethren, in constant attend- 
ance, which was the usual average number during Bro. 
Dunckerley' s rule, they dwindled away to such an 



104 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

extent, that when the R. W. M. made his appearance, an 
hour, perhaps, too late, it frequently happened that he 
did not find a sufficient number of Brethren present to 
perform the opening ceremony ; and they were obliged 
to separate, weary and dissatisfied. 

"Several of the members, recollecting the example of 
Bros. Dagge and Dunckerley, exerted their influence to 
prevent the consequences of such extraordinary conduct; 
but the new R. W. M. was too much wedded to his own 
system of mismanagement to listen to their suggestions. 
He knew no law but his own will and pleasure, and the 
Brethren had only this alternative, — to succomb or se- 
cede ; and many of them chose the latter. They gave 
him every fair chance to retrieve his error; but nothing 
could rouse him from his lethargy ; and the utter dissolu- 
tion of the Lodge was anticipated, unless some alteration 
took place in his conduct. 

"It is evident," the Square continued, "that he was 
exceedingly annoyed at this gradual defalcation of the 
Brethren, because, at length, to the astonishment of 
every member present, he made the following extraordi- 
nary proposition from his place in the Lodge : ' That in 
future, every officer who is not in attendance before the 
expiration of five minutes beyond the prescribed time of 
opening the Lodge, shall be subject to a fine in the fol- 
lowing proportion. The R. W. M. half a crown; the 
Wardens one shilling each ; and the inferior officers six- 
pence for each offence ; and that the operation of the law 
commence on the next Lodge night, whether it be a 
Lodge of emergency or otherwise.' 

" This proposition was, of course, carried nem. con., 
and the only wonder was, that he should emanate from 
the Chair, as it was universally believed that he had made 
a rod for his own back, and that he would be the first, 
and perhaps the only delinquent. And to establish the 
decree more firmly, like the law of the Medes and Per- 
sians, which altereth not, he called on the secretary to 
hand him the minute-book, and he made the entry with 
his own hand, and read it publicly in the ears' of all 
the Brethren. 

" On the next Lodge night," the Square went on to 
say, " the Brethren were all present at the time named 
in the summons, except the R. W. M. ; and after wait- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 105 

ing a full hour, he made his appearance, as usual, in a 
very great bustle, and opened the Lodge. As soon as 
the minutes of the last Lodge had been read and con- 
firmed, an aged Brother rose, and observed that, as the 
K. W. M. had broken his own law, it was only just that 
he should pay the penalty, and requested him to hand 
over to the treasurer the sum of half a crown, to give effect 
to his own proposition, and as an example to other Breth- 
ren who might violate the rule in future. The R. W. 
M. replied without hesitation, that he had been profes- 
sionally engaged, and, therefore, was not liable, and that 
if another word was said about the matter he would 
vacate the chair, and withdraw himself from the Lodge, 
as a subscribing member, which, he added, in its present 
divided state, would effectually extinguish it. 

"At this announcement the Brethren were surprised 
and disgusted, and several members rose and protested 
against the conduct of the R. W. M., as equally unma- 
sonic and ungentlemanly. The Master was loud in his 
reply, and so were they in the rejoinder. And after this 
extraordinary display of weakness and petulance com- 
bined, the Brethren vanished as rapidly and certainly as the 
sparks from a sheet of paper consumed by fire, after the 
blaze is exhausted; and a few only were left to sustain 
the integrity of the Lodge. 

" From this unfortunate dispute, the Lodge with diffi- 
culty recovered. The meetings became gradually smaller 
and more ' beautifully less,' until the Lodge drew to an 
end, like a tale that is told. And this once celebrated 
Society would have been an extinct tradition, if extra- 
neous aid had not been secured to prevent so sad a catas- 
trophe. But, fortunately, there came to the rescue, at 
the last extremity, a popular and talented Brother, who 
restored the equipoise, and saved the Lodge from disso- 
lution. 

" In the preceding Revelations," the Square continued, 
" you will not fail to have remarked that the Lodge had 
undergone many vicissitudes, but never, till this present 
year, did it approach so nearly to the verge of complete 
decay. In fact, a preliminary meeting of the Brethren 
was held, as the year drew towards its conclusion, to 
determine whether it would not be expedient to resign 
the Warrant, and unite with some other Lodge, as several 



106 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

of the members had already done, when a Brother inci- 
dentally mentioned the popularity of Dr. Dodd, and ex- 
pressed his regret that he was not a member ; for it 
appeared to him indubitable, that, if this celebrated 
Brother were elevated to the Chair, the Lodge would not 
only be saved, but also restored to its former state of 
solvency. 

" The hint was taken, and a deputation was commis- 
sioned to invite Dr. Dodd to become a member of the 
Lodge, and to accept the office of its E. W. M., as he 
had already acted in that capacity more than once in 
other Lodges, with distinguished success. 

"Now, I need not tell you," said the Square, paren- 
thetically, " that Dr. Dodd was an eloquent and talented 
man, and an assiduous and zealous Mason. He had long 
been a popular preacher, and his learning and zeal recom- 
mended him to the notice of his superiors in the Church. 
His activity and promptitude in advocating charitable 
institutions became proverbial; and whenever it was 
found necessary to replenish the funds of a benevolent 
establishment, the suggestion was, — ' Ask Dodd to preach 
for it ;' and the experiment was generally attended with 
success. The honours of his profession were not denied 
him ; for he was Bector of HocklifTe and Winge, Preben- 
dary of Brecon, Chaplain to His Majesty, and Grand 
Chaplain of Free and Accepted Masons. 

" The deputation consisted of Brothers Captain George 
Smith, Minshull, and Dr. Sequiera ; and when these 
worthy Brothers arrived at Dr. Dodd's residence, the 
rev. gentleman was mounting his horse at the door ; but, 
at the request of the deputation, with all of whom he 
was on terms of intimacy, he threw the reins to his 
servant, and entered the house in their company. 

" On being admitted, the subject of their mission 
was opened by Captain Smith with becoming gravity and 
respect. He stated, in energetic language, the continued 

prosperity of the Lodge under several eminent 

Masters, and particularly Bros. Desaguliers, Manning- 
ham, and Dunckerley ; touched with great delicacy on 
the most glaring instances of mismanagement committed 
by the present R. W. M., whose tenure of office was, 
fortunately, on the eve of expiring, and the consequent 
prostration of the Lodge by the secession of its most 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 107 

valuable members, all, or the greater part of whom, he 
said, would certainly return, if the Lodge should be able 
to resume its functions under an efficient Master, whose 
popularity and position in the Order. might have a ten- 
dency to restore its primitive reputation as one of the 
oldest Lodges on the list, and the possessor of this, — the 
jewel of Sir Christopher Wren, — exhibiting me," added 
the Square, with no little pride, " else how should I have 
been able to detail the particulars of this important in 
terview ? And Captain Smith concluded by expressing 
a hope that Bro. Dodd would accede to the unanimous 
wishes of all the old members, and accept the office of 
R. W. M. of the Lodge. 

" The Rev. Doctor replied that, although his time was 
rather limited, as he had a sermon to preach for an 
interesting charity on that very day, and that, in fact, he 
ought to be on his journey, yet he hoped to be able to 
spare half an hour for deliberation. ' But you will par- 
don me,' he added, 'if, — while I express my gratification 
at the preference you have shown me, — I hesitate before 
I finally consent to take upon myself the responsible 
duty you propose, under circumstances so difficult and 
adverse as those you have had the candour to explain. I 
am not altogether ignorant of the unpropitious manage- 
ment of the Brother to whom you have alluded, and 
deeply regret that a young man of estimable character 
and high attainments should be so inconsiderate as to 
compromise himself and you by a succession of injudi- 
cious acts, which, I am sure, on mature consideration, 
his conscience cannot approve. 

" ' However,' he continued, ' the mischief, it appears, 
has been inflicted, and it only remains to consider how 
we are to provide an effectual remedy. You are pleased 
to think it possible that I may be instrumental in the 
restoration of the Lodge to its primitive statu quo, which 
was rather high. If I were fully assured that such would 
be the result, I might be induced to ' gird up my loins' 
to the task; but I am afraid, from your own showing, 
that several of your most influential members have not 
only withdrawn from the Lodge, but have taken a final 
leave of it, by actually uniting themselves to other more 
flourishing societies ; and they might feel great delicacy 
in dissolving their new connection to return to the em- 



108 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

braces of their first love. It is, therefore, probable that, 
m anticipating the re-union of all the old members, you 
have taken too wide a margin. Nor can you be ignorant 
that, without their concurrence and active co-operation, 
our prospects of a successful issue may reasonably be 
considered doubtful. But,' he added, abstractedly, and 
half aloud, 'dissolve, — a Lodge like this dissolve, — it 
must not be, it cannot be permitted, although the chances 
appear to be against it.' 

"'Help us, then, with your influence and experience, 
my good Brother,' said Dr. Sequiera. ' You will have 
the most animating prospect of success. The difficulty 
to which you have alluded has been foreseen, and meas- 
ures have been taken to test its accuracy. Several of the 
seceding Brethren have been applied to personally to as- 
certain their sentiments on this point, and, with few ex- 
ceptions, they have all expressed their approbation of the 
proposed plan to resuscitate the Lodge, and have pledged 
themselves to reunite with the Brethren, on receiving 
an assurance that a Brother of Dr. Dodd's eminence shall 
have been elevated to the chair.' 

"Not to detain you longer on this point," the Square 
continued, swinging itself majestically round on one of its 
silver limbs, "as I have many other revelations of great 
importance to make respecting the doings of Masonry in 
the eighteenth century, I will merely add that, after a few 
other minor objections had been disposed of, Dr. Dodd 
consented to be put in nomination for the chair of the 
Lodge at the ensuing choice of officers ; for, he said, it 
would be discreditable to the Order to suffer such a 
Lodge to fall without an effort being made in its behalf. 
It may be needless to add, that he was elected unani- 
mously, and was installed on St. John's day, 1772. 

"We found," said the Square, "the new R. W. M. 
very methodical in all his masonic arrangements; and 
hence, you may be certain that his Lodge was placed at 
once under a systematic mode of management. He used 
to say that, as the R. W. M. represents the rising sun, he 
ought to make his appearance in the east with the un- 
varying regularity which his protoype displays. And, 
accordingly, the following routine was always punctually 
observed. He opened the Lodge at the exact hour and 
minute expressed in the Bye-laws ; and from this practice 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 100 

he never, on any occasion, deviated. When the Lodge 
was open, and the Officers at their post, the Secretary 
was desired to read the Minutes of the last Lodge, which 
were then formally put for confirmation. If there hap- 
pened to be an initiation, passing, or raising, on the 
books, it took precedence of all other business, and pre- 
parations were immediately made for introducing the 
candidate. After the ceremony was over, any motion, of 
which notice stood on the book, w T as entertained, and 
temperately discussed. Then followed a lecture, adapted 
in length to time, for the J. W. was called on to exercise 
his peculiar duty at nine o'clock precisely. At the expi- 
ration of half an hour, which was spent in cheerful con- 
versation, song, and toast, the R. W. Master's gavel struck 
one, and was followed by a dead silence, — the Lodge was 
called from refreshment to labour, with the proper cere- 
monies ; and the R. W. M. was prepared to receive pro- 
positions of candidates, notices of motions, or any general 
observations for the benefit of Masonry in general, or that 
particular Lodge ; and at ten the Lodge was closed, and 
the Brethren departed to their own homes, — except at 
the quarterly suppers, which were conducted with the 
same order and decorum, and broke up at midnight. 

" The consequences of this system of regularity," the 
Square continued, " were soon visible in the increase and 
improvement of the members ; and many of the Brethren 
became so well acquainted with the ritual, and under- 
stood the ceremonies so perfectly, as to be fully equal to 
the duties of the chair ; although, for the succeeding 
three years, no one would accept the office of R. W. M. 
under an apprehension that the retirement of the present 
Master might perchance deteriorate from the popularity 
which the Lodge had so deservedly attained under his 
judicious management. It is true that Dr. Dodd fre- 
quently expressed a wish to resign the chair at the expi- 
ration of his year of office, but he was always re-elected 
without a dissentient voice. 

"And what was the secret of this continued popu- 
larity?" said the Square, interrogatively. "I can tell 
you. It was comprised in a single word — Discipline. 
He would never overlook an infringement of the Bye-laws. 
On that point he was inflexible. Discipline, he said, was 
the cement of the Order. Once relax your discipline, 



110 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

and the whole fabric will soon be dissolved. Loosen the 
cement of the Lodge, and the building will fall to the 
ground. The result of this management was, that, dur- 
ing the time he held his high office, there was not a single 
dispute in the Lodge ; and all differences of opinion were 
settled so amicably, as to give entire satisfaction to all 
the parties concerned. 

" He never paraded himself to the prejudice of others, 
but embraced every opportunity of * conferring honour 
where honour was due.' Deserving Brethren were 
brought prominently forward, as objects of esteem and 
confidence ; and all masonic rewards were accessible to 
the industrious Brother, without regard to his situation in 
life, provided he were a good and worthy man in his 
social relations. The Lodge might be compared to a hive 
of bees. All were equally industrious ; every Brother 
discharged, with assiduous punctuality, his individual 
duty, without reference to others; order and harmony 
prevailed amidst the multifarious employment ; no jost- 
ling, no interference with each other's work,— -all united 
in the one great labour of increasing the stock of honey, 
until the hive was abundantly stored with its golden 
sweetness. 

" Now, although the attainments of Dr. Dodd in Ma- 
sonry were of the highest order, he assumed no airs of 
superiority, and was ever ready to communicate know- 
ledge to all who were willing to receive it. His conduct 
in the chair was mild and dignified; and, although he 
sustained its authority by suppressing at once and firmly 
all attempts at insubordination or infraction of the Con- 
stitutions, he never took advantage of his power to pro- 
mote any private purposes of his own, or to silence a 
temporary opponent by harshness of manner, or an undue 
exercise of the authority vested in him as the Chief. In a 
word, the work of the Lodge was scientifically arranged ; 
and a judicious division of labour did not fail to produce 
a harmonious result. 

" During the mastership of Dr. Dodd," the Square 
continued, " a circumstance occurred which I must not 
pass over in silence, as it displays a discriminating libe- 
rality equally with a high sense of duty towards a Bro- 
ther suffering under unmerited distress and persecution. 
We had at this time a member whom I will call Bro. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. Ill 

Watson. He had been in reputable circumstances dur- 
ing the early part of his life, but, through unavoidable 
misfortunes, he had gradually declined, until, at length, 
he found it difficult to provide for the necessities of his 
family. As he had been for many years a consistent 
member of the Lodge, and uniformly active and zealous, 
he was held in great esteem by the Brethren at large. 

"It so happened that he had given mortal offence to a 
certain attorney, who was the most artful of dodgers 
(excuse the phrase, but it is not misapplied,) and the 
magnum opus of sheriff's officers; for he was the son of a 
bumbailiff, and had been the drudge of an attorney's 
office for a dozen years to earn his articles. This worthy 
menaced poor Bro. Watson with ruin, whenever a chance 
might arise for effecting it ; and every one that knew him 
was satisfied d priori that he would keep his word. 
Years passed over without any such chance occurring. 
At length, however, Bro. Watson fell into insuperable 
difficulties, and, in an unfortunate moment, accepted 
from the vindictive lawyer a loan of twenty pounds. 
Like the deadly boa-constrictor, he then proceeded to 
wind his loathly coils about his prey, that no hope might 
remain of liberation or escape. 

" To secure his victim, he had delayed his vengeance, 
that it might be the more certain and inevitable. Under 
the pretence of friendship, and pity for the poor man's 
necessities, he declined, for three years together, to 
receive interest for his money, on the pretext that the 
payment might be inconvenient ; but, at the end of that 
time, he sent in a bill for principal, interest, and law ex- 
penses, amounting to thirty pounds, with an intimation, 
that if the mony was not paid forthwith, he would arrest 
him and throw him into gaol. 

" This was the trump-card, — you shall hear how he 
lost the game. 

"The above gentle intimation was received by Bro. 
Watson a few days before our regular monthly meeting ; 
and, as the fact became known amongst the Brethren, 
the Lodge was numerously attended. After the usual 
business had been disposed of, the R. W. M. requested 
Bro. Watson to state his case, which he did in simple and 
affecting language, — for he was not eloquent, — and the 
sympathy of the Brethren was only equalled by their 



112 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

disgust at the pettifogger's crooked and disgraceful 
policy. 

"When Bro. Watson concluded, Dr. Dodd rose grace- 
fully from his chair, and taking out his purse, announced 
that he was about to place five guineas in the hands of 
the Treasurer, as the nucleus of a subscription, to liberate 
their unfortunate Brother from the fangs of his persecu- 
tor, expressing, at the same time, a hope that the Breth- 
ren would be willing to second his endeavours, and 
commending to their consideration the atrocity of the 
attempt, and the extreme suffering to which it would 
subject his wife and children, should they permit it to be 
successful. ' Whether the attorney winces or winces not, 
is a matter of little moment,' continued the worthy Doc- 
tor. ' Let the money be paid, and our worthy Brother 
be rescued from his pitiless clutches.' 

"The appeal was responded to with enthusiasm; and 
it was at once and unanimously determined to save our 
hapless Brother from destruction. For this purpose, 
twenty guineas were subscribed on the spot ; and it was 
resolved nem. dis. that the balance should be taken from 
the Lodge fund, as a loan, to be repaid on a future day, 
and the debt discharged without the slightest delay. 

"The Master and Wardens called on the attorney the 
very next day for that purpose ; and it is impossible to 
express the astonishment which he displayed at hearing 
that the money had been raised in the Lodge on the pre- 
vious evening as a voluntary offering to relieve the wants 
and alleviate the distresses of a worthy and meritorious 
Brother. He could scarcely believe that such a disinter- 
ested instance of benevolence was possible ; but, when 
convinced, by ocular demonstration, that it did really 
exist, could only say — and the expression was attended 
with a most remarkable contortion of visage when he 
found his vengeance so effectually defeated — 'Aye, this 
is the curse of Masonry ! n 

"A few weeks, or it might be months, afterwards," 
my gossipping companion went on to say, " our E. W. 
M. was requested to preach a sermon in St. Paul's church, 
at Deptford, for the benefit of some masonic charity — I 
forget what it was — and an assertion which he made from 

1 A literal fact. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 113 

the pulpit, that Freemasonry, according to its present 
management, is almost exclusively a Christian institution, 
gave rise to an interesting discussion respecting the ten- 
dency of the Order towards Christianity, when practised 
in a Christian country. 

"At the next Lodge, when the R. W. M. made the 
customary inquiry, whether any Brother had anything to 
propose for the good of Masonry in general, or this Lodge 
in particular? a young man named Franco, who attained 
the rank of President to the Board of Grand Stewards in 
1780, rose and said, that he had an observation to make, 
with permission of the Chair, which he trusted would 
neither be out of order, as coming within the category of 
religious disputes, — which was far from his intention, — nor 
uninteresting to the Brethren. 

"Leave being granted, Bro. Franco proceeded to 
express a doubt whether such a prayer as we now use at 
the initiation of a candidate, concluding with the words : 
''Endue him with divine wisdom, that he may, with the secrets 
of Masonry, be able to unfold the mysteries of godliness and 
Christianity. This we humbly beg in the name and for the 
sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour,'' can be reasona- 
bly applied to an universal institution like Freemasonry, 
which deduces its origin, not only from a period long 
anterior to the advent of Christ, but beyond the reach of 
all accredited history. He could not but conclude such 
an appropriation to be sectarian : and he had been much 
surprised to hear the same doctrine publicly advocated 
from the pulpit by an eminent Christian minister. This 
observation produced a debate. 

"The defence of the Order," continued the Square, 
" was in good and sufficient hands. The R. W. M. imme- 
diately rose with great solemnity, and said : ' Brethren, 
in reply to our worthy Brother's observation, I will 
take this opportunity of explaining my views respecting 
the nature and character of Fremasonry as a religious and 
moral institution. You are all aware that the revivers of 
our symbolical Order, at the beginning of the present 
century, applied themselves with great diligence to the 
collection of ancient documents and charges; and, 
amongst the rest, they found the identical prayer that 
was used in the Lodges of those worthy and inimitable 



114 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

artists who built our noble ecclesiastical edifices ; and 
Brothers Desaguliers and Anderson exercised a sound 
discretion in retaining it in our improved ceremonial as a 
landmark or beacon, to point out to succeeding ages the 
religious character of the Institution. And for this reason 
I did not hesitate to affirm my belief from the pulpit that 
Freemasonry, as it is received in this country, is essen- 
tially — although, perhaps, not exclusively — Christian. I 
am not, indeed, ignorant that an adverse opinion, unknown 
in former times, has recently been started, on the assump- 
tion indicated by Bro. Franco, that the Order originated 
long before the Christian era. Although a question of 
great importance, I considered it of too exclusive a nature 
for discussion in a pulpit discourse, which is more parti- 
cularly intended for general edification. But, as we have 
a little spare time, if Bro. Franco will state his objections 
in detail, I will endeavour, as far as my abilities extend, 
to satisfy his inquiries, and give him the advantage of my 
own researches on this momentous subject.' 

" Bro. Franco expressed his gratification at the courtesy 
of the R. W. M., and added, that nothing would afford 
him greater pleasure than to be enlightened on such an 
intricate inquiry. He was mistrustful of his own ability 
to contend with such a learned man and excellent Mason 
as Dr. Dodd, and should content himself w T ith simply 
naming an argument which appeared to militate against 
the Christian hypothesis. He confessed he had not 
thought very deeply on the subject, but he would suggest, 
for the consideration of the Brethren, whether Masonry, 
being coeval with the building of the Temple at Jeru- 
salem, which was erected by the Jews, must not of 
necessity be a Jewish institution; and, if this be admit- 
ted, it cannot possibly have any connection with Christi- 
anity, although practised by Christians in common with 
the twelve tribes of Israel. If it be indebted to the 
latter for its existence, and its landmarks be unalter- 
able, its fundamental principles must be exclusively 
Jewish. 

" Bro. Dodd replied, that he conceived the argument 
to be based on a fallacy arising out of an erroneous view 
of the facts. ' A very slight insight into the design of 
Freemasonry will show,' he said, 'that, although its 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 115 

morality is more particularly adapted to the genius of 
Christianity than to any other religion, 2 it is, in reality, 
neither exclusively Jewish, patriarchal, nor Christian, but 
cosmopolite; and, amongst all peoples where it ever 
flourished, it inculcated the morality of their peculiar 
religion, and selected its patrons, or parallels, from emi- 
nent men of their own tribe and kindred. Thus, for 
example, amongst the Noachidae, the parallels of Masonry 
were Noah and Abraham ; subsequently, Moses and Solo- 
mon were substituted; and the Christians chose the two 
St. Johns. 

" 'This,' he continued, 'was, beyond all doubt, the 
doctrine promulgated by Grand Masters Sayer and Payne, 
and their associates Desaguliers and Anderson, at the 
revival, and established as a permanent and unalterable 
landmark of the Order. Freemasonry would sink into 
disrepute if it were degraded into a religious sect. How 
it could enter into Bro. Franco's imagination that Free- 
masonry is a Jewish institution, I am at a loss to conjec- 
ture, for the Jews never practised Masonry themselves, 
or encouraged it in others ; and it may be safely conjec- 
tured that, even at the present day, there are not a dozen 
Jewish Masons in England, and at the revival, in 1717, 
there was not one in all the world. As a Christian, and an 
unworthy member of the Church, I believe Jesus to be 
the Son of God ; and, as He has said that His religion 
shall ultimately be "one fold under one shepherd," I 
believe that Christianity, like the rod of Moses, will 
swallow up all others ; and that Jew and Gentile, Greek 
and barbarian, bond and free, will embrace this universal 
system, and Christ shall be all in all. And I confess I 

2 A writer of the last century expresses himself thus on this import- 
ant subject. " Masonry received its finishing touches, its grand 
completing stroke in the glorious display of the Christian Eevelation. 
Every Christian grace enters into the true masonic character. The 
doctrines, even the most peculiar and sublime doctrines of Christi- 
anity, as some of these have been termed, are regarded as holy, and 
just, and true, in our Lodges. I may add also that they are illus- 
trated in such a manner as to tend to the settling the pious mind on 
the firm basis of a consistent, orthodox belief. It is our principal 
endeavour to form our minds into the sublimest conceptions of the 
Divine Being, and to the most implicit and regular obedience of all 
his dispensations and precepts ; and we are, therefore, sensible that 
nothing conduceth so well to the accomplishment of these important 
ends as the sincere profession of Christianity." 



116 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

was not prepared to hear a professing Christian cast a 
reflection on his Redeemer, by doubting the universality 
of his religion, and pronouncing it to be nothing more 
than a sect.' 

" Here the R. W. M. resumed his seat," said the 
Square, " and Bro. Dunckerley rose, and, addressing him- 
self to the chair, observed that he concurred in pronoun- 
cing the general construction of Masonry to be cosmo- 
polite, and, consequently, democratic ; yet he would 
submit to the consideration of the Lodge, whether the 
Lectures which we use are not essentially Christian. 3 
He conceived that the exclusive appropriation of Masonry 
to the Jews, according to Bro. Franco's hypothesis, 
would be a far greater error than making it altogether 
Christian ; because, amongst the many hundreds of Chris- 
tian Lodges, which are spread over the four quarters of 
the globe, it is very doubtful whether there be a single 
Jewish Lodge in existence. ' Besides,' he added, ' what 
claim can the Jews, as a nation, have to be conservators 
of an institution which they certainly never practised, if 
we except a few Grand Superintendents and the Entered 
Apprentices, during the seven years which were occupied 
in preparing the materials for, and building the Temple 
at Jerusalem ? The expert Masons, the Fellowcrafts, and 
Masters, were the Dionysiacs, i. e. Tynans and Egyptians; 
and they were ranged in separate Lodges, under Hiram 
AbifT, Tito Zadok, and their fellows. When the Temple 
and Solomon's other buildings were finished, I cannot find 
that these accomplished men held any further communi- 
cation with the people of Israel ; but spread themselves 
abroad, and practised the art amongst other nations, till 
their posterity became famous as the Collegia Fabrorum 
of Rome, from whom the Freemasons of the middle ages, 
who built our matchless churches and cathedrals, re- 
ceived it, and transmitted it faithfully to us.' 

3 The writer above quoted says further: "The truly enlightened, 
the highly exalted Brethren, must perceive, and will cheerfully allow, 
that the further we proceed in our masonic course, the deeper must be 
our veneration for the Sacred Scriptures ; and in proportion as we 
study the mysteries which it contains, so shall Ave be convinced of the 
importance and beauty of the grand doctrines of the Christian system. 
With' these doctrines the most sublime of our Symbols hold a perfect 
unison; and I may add that the latter elucidate the former with a 
strong and pleasing lustre." 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 117 

" ' The argument appears clear and decisive,' said the 
E. W. M., ' and if Bro. Franco does not see it in the 
same light, perhaps he would have the kindness to state 
his peculiar opinions, as I am curious to hear what can 
be said on the opposite side of the question.' 

" Bro. Franco, being thus appealed to, put the objec- 
tion in another form. 'I argue,' said he, ' as an humble 
follower of Jesus, who w T as born a Jew and died a Jew. 
During his lifetime, he publicly acknowledged that Moses, 
and the prophets, and the kings of Israel, were his prede- 
cessors in the great scheme which he himself accomplish- 
ed. But while I believe in Jesus, I cannot close my eyes 
to the fact that these very predecessors were the original 
founders of Freemasonry, and, therefore, though adopted 
by Christians, it has no claim to a Christian origination.' 

" Dr. Sequiera then rose," said the Square, ' and sub- 
mitted to the chair that the argument used by Bro. Franco 
was not sustainable. ' Christ,' he said, ' had no prede- 
cessors. He himself asserted that he existed before Abra- 
ham ; and our great patron and parallel, St. John, says 
that he was not only before the worlds, but that he was 
the Maker of them. It is evident, therefore, that this 
Divine Being was anterior to Solomon, or Moses,, or 
x4braham, or Noah, or Adam, the first created man. I 
consider it an open question,' he continued, ' whether 
the origin of Masonry may be dated from the building of 
Solomon's Temple, or from some earlier period ; but, at 
all events, it cannot be an institution exclusively Jew- 
ish, — because the Mosaic dispensation itself was not that 
universal religion which it was predicted should ulti- 
mately " cover the earth as the waters cover the sea." 
That system was only intended by the Most High to be 
temporary, and was strictly limited to the period when 
" the sceptre should depart from Judah," and the Messiah 
be commissioned to usher in a more perfect dispensation, 
which, in God's good time, should supersede every other 
system, and bring all mankind into the sanctuary of 
Christ.' 

" Bro. Franco explained, and expressed his curiosity to 
know with what propriety, under these circumstances, 
Freemasonry can be termed a universal institution. 

" ' For this reason,' said Capt. Smith, ' because it is 
an appendage to a universal religion, of which those of 



118 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the patriarchs and Jews were only types and symbols, and 
were never intended to be final. And this accounts for 
the introduction into our lectures of all the chief types 
of Christ contained in the Sacred Records. For instance, 
one of our masonic landmarks refers to Moses at the 
Burning Bush, where Jehovah commanded him to take 
the shoes from off his feet, because the place where he 
stood was holy. From this spot he was divinely com- 
missioned to deliver the children of Israel from their 
Egyptian bondage. And when thus miraculously libe- 
rated, they were led by the self-same Shekinah, who was 
no other than the Second Person in the Sacred Trinity, 
whom we Masons denominate T. G. A. 0. T. U.' 

" Bro. Franco would not confess himself conquered," 
said the Square, " but continued the battle with great 
gallantry. He urged that a single historical fact intro- 
duced into the Lectures, by accident probably, could be 
no valid proof of a general principle. ' Bro. Dunckerley 
has asserted that the Lectures are, as a whole, if I 
understood him correctly, essentially Christian. That 
learned Brother will not, I trust, consider me intrusive, 
if I request his proofs of that important fact.' 

" Bro. Dunckerley immediately replied that nothing 
would afford him greater pleasure than to convince Bro. 
Franco of the real tendency of the Lectures, which, he 
might safely say, he had studied with the utmost atten- 
tion. ' The prayer which Bro. Franco has referred to is 
not the only one which was in use amongst our ancient 
Brethren ; but being the best adapted to the revised or- 
der in a Protestant country, it was agreed by the Grand 
Lodge to incorporate it into the ceremonial as an unalter- 
able landmark, in preference to others, which were more 
peculiarly allied to the Romish ritual.' 

" ' Perhaps,' interposed Bro. Franco, * our learned Bro- 
ther would favour us with a specimen of these masonic 
prayers.' 

" * With great pleasure,' Bro. Dunckerley replied. 
' One ancient masonic invocation was in this form. Pray 
we to God Almigghty and to hys swete moder Mary. Another 
runs thus, Jhesu, for thyn holy name, schulde me from synne 
and schame. Others ran in a similar strain. It will, 
therefore, be seen that the most comprehensive formula 
was adopted, and has ever since been retained in use. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 119 

The Lectures of Masonry,' continued Bro. Dunckerley, 
' are full of landmarks which refer to the subject under 
discussion. The sacrifice of Isaac on Mount Moriah was 
an indisputable type of the great atonement ; and this 
constitutes an unalterable landmark to consecrate the 
floor of our Lodges. The construction of the Tabernacle 
in the wilderness is another landmark to account for the 
masonic custom of building our Lodges due East and 
West ; and the Tabernacle and its appendages were all 
symbolical of corresponding events in the Christian dis- 
pensation. 4 The H. P. was a type of Christ, and the 
blood of the covenant was a symbol of his blood shed 
upon the Cross. Why need I enumerate those other 
landmarks of Masonry which bear an undoubted refer- 
ence to Christ and his religion, when you are all as 
familiar with them as myself? And I think, when Bro. 
Franco considers seriously these striking coincidences, he 
will find it impossible to put any other construction on 
the design of the masonic system, than as a development 
of the chief truths of our most holy faith, leading to the 
inculcation of a pure morality, and the duty of doing to 
others as we would have them do to us.' 5 

" The K. W. M. then rose and said, ' I appeal to the 

4 These Lectures had some odd fancies about Aaron's Rod, which 
were ultimately transferred to a separate degree. " The blossoming 
and bearing fruit of Aaron's Rod show how quickly those who are 
called by grace should blossom and bear heavenly fruit, and become 
faithful watchmen and seers of the night. This fruit points to Christ 
our Saviour, of whom Moses was a type, he being the shepherd and 
bishop of our souls ; leading his children like tender buds growing up 
in spiritual and Divine knowledge ; sweet blossoms of that spiritual 
Rod expanding with the fragrance of grace. The ripe fruit referred 
to the able ministers of the New and Old Testaments, whose office it 
is to withstand gainsay ers. Their shells are hard, but their kernels 
abound in sweet doctrine, refreshing to the soul, the heavenly fruit of 
righteousness, provoking to obedience and love. Again, as those 
almond nuts did not perish, but were continually on the Rod, and laid 
up in the Ark of the Covenant, so neither shall the Word of the Gos- 
pel, or the work of Grace in the hearts of the faithful, wither away ; 
but every branch in Christ, shall not only, like Aaron's Rod, bring 
forth fruit, but have life more abundantly." 

5 A masonic writer of this period makes the following judicious 
remark: " We know, and dare venture to declare to all the world, 
that no man can be a consistent, Freemason who denies a Divine reve- 
lation ; even that revelation which is professed by Christian believers, 
and in the state of immortality which that revelation holds out to us." 
— (Freemasons' Mag., vol. i., p. 384.) 



120 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Brethren present, whether these are not the received 
doctrines of the Order, as they are inculcated in all our 
Lodges.' 

" The Brethren responded unanimously by the usual 
token of concurrence, and Bro. Franco found himself in 
a minority of one. 

" When Dr. Dodd retired from office, at Christmas, 
1775, he had created amongst the Brethren a great vene- 
ration for his untiring zeal in promoting the general inter- 
ests of the Craft ; for his liberality in maintaining the 
hospitality of the Lodge, and for those social qualities 
which chastened and enlivened the banquet. He had 
restored the Lodge to its primitive status, and had earned 
golden opinions from every class of the Brethren ; and, 
like a successful gladiator, he was invested with the Kudis 
amidst the acclamations of his fellows. 

" In the year 1776," continued my amusing compan- 
ion, " I had the gratification, under a new Master, of 
witnessing the most magnificent spectacle it is possible 
to conceive; for it realized the gorgeous description of 
the Arabian Tales. I refer to the solemn dedication of 
Freemasons' Hall. 6 The numerous band of Grand and 



6 As it may happen that many Brethren do not even know when 
Freemasons' Hall became the place of meeting of the Grand Lodge 
of England, it may be satisfactory to them to be furnished with the 
following document, recorded in Noorthouck's Consts., p. 312. Du- 
ring the ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone, the Grand Secre- 
tary read the inscription on a plate, winch was then deposited in the 
stone, as follows : — 

" Anno regni Georgii tertii quindecimo 

Salutis humanse mdcclxxv, mensis Maii die 

Primo 

Hunc primum lapidem, 

Aulas Latomorum, 

(Anglice, Free and Accepted Masons) 

Posuerit 

Honoratissimus Rob. Edv. dom. Petre, baro 

Petre, de Writtle, 

Summus Latomorum Anglise Magister ; 

Assidentibus 

Viro ornatissimo Rowlando Holt, Armigero, 

Summi Magistri deputato ; 

Viris ornatissimis 

Joh. Hatch et Hen. Dagge, 

Summis Gubernatoribus ; 

Plenooue coram Fratrum concursu ; 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 121 

Past Grand officers, in full masonic costume ; the galle- 
ries crowded with ladies of rank and fashion, presenting 
the appearance of a magnificent parterre decorated with 
a galaxy of exotic flowers dazzling to the eye ; a hundred 
musicians, vocal and instrumental, placed in the orches- 
tra; the Masters and Wardens of private Lodges arrang- 
ed, like a holy Sanhedrim, in order of precedency upon 
the benches on the floor ; added to the splendid and 
tasteful decorations in the Hall itself, — produced a coup 
tfazil which exceeds my powers of rhetoric to describe. 

" It was a superb sight to behold the Brethren, invest- 
ed with the badges and appendages suitable to their rank, 
entering the hall from the committee-room, and proceed- 
ing to the throne of Solomon, compass the room three 
several times to sweet and heavenly music, amidst the 
waving of handkerchiefs and scarfs from the ladies in the 
galleries. The Grand Tyler led the way ; then followed 
the Lodge, covered with white satin, borne by four serv- 
ing Brethren ; after which, the corn, wine and oil, in 
covered vessels of gold and silver, carried by Master 
Masons of good standing in the Order, followed by the 
members of the Hall Committee, and the Brethren of 
the Alfred Lodge, Oxford, two and two, in their academi- 
cal dress, surmounted by the insignia of their several 
offices. 

" But it will be an unnecessary waste of time," the 
Square interjected, parenthetically, " to describe the 
order of a procession which must be perfectly familiar to 
you. When the preliminary ceremonies were completed, 
and the Lodge placed in the centre of the Hall ; when 
the three lesser lights, with the gold and silver pitchers 

Quo etiam tempore regum, prmcipiiunque 
Yirorum favore, 
Studioque sustentatum. — Maximos per 
Europain 
Honores occupaverat 
Komen Latomorum, 
Cui insuper nomini summiun Angliae 
Conventum prseesse fecerat 
Universa Fratrum per orbem multitudo, 
E coelo descendit. 
rvcud't Zeavroi'." 
The dedication of this building took place on the 23rd of May, 
1776. 



122 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

containing the elements of consecration, were placed 
thereon: when the three great lights on a velvet cushion 
were deposited upon the pedestal in solemn silence, then 
did the heart of every Brother present rebound, like the 
war-horse at the thrilling blast of the trumpet, on hear- 
ing the simultaneous burst of harmony from the orches- 
tra, which introduced the opening symphonies of the 
foundation-stone anthem, 

'To heaven's High Architect, all praise,' &c. 

which was sung by Mr. Hudson, of St. Paul's Cathedral, 
the choruses being filled up by the whole band. 

" The ceremony, I assure you, sir, was very imposing; 
and although the eye was satiated with the gorgeous 
display, and the ear delighted by the sweet influence of 
music, yet the heart of every person in this vast assem- 
bly was carried away by the oration of the Grand Chap- 
lain, our late R. W. M. Dr. Dodd, whose matchless 
eloquence of language and grace of delivery riveted the 
attention of his audience. And when he pronounced 
any particularly fine passage, with all the energy of 
enthusiasm, the acclamations were unbounded; and the 
conclusion of the address, after a deep silence of a few 
seconds, was hailed with such peals of enthusiastic 
cheering, as have scarcely ever since been heard within 
the walls of Freemasons' Hall. The triumph of the 
orator was complete. 7 

" It is a day to be remembered, not only on account of 
the real interest attached to the ceremony, but from the 
importance of its results; for it constitutes the first 
onward step that had been taken since the revival to 
place Freemasonry on a permanent footing, as one of 
those beneficial institutions which reflect so much glory 
on the island of Great Britain, and mark its inhabitants 
as a people celebrated for works of munificent benevo- 
lence and unostentatious charity. 

" This was the closing scene in the popularity of the 
unfortunate Dr. Dodd. But as the above oration will 
convey his name as a Mason to all posterity, when the 
evidences of his excellence as the Master of a Lod^e 



'&' 



205. 



7 This Oration may be found in the " Golden Kemains," vol. ii., p. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 123 

would be buried in oblivion if I had not thus placed it 
on permanent record by revealing the particulars to you, 
I will briefly fill up, for your satisfaction, the general 
outline of his history ; for I remember him well, and he 
is entitled to pity and commiseration. 

" His career, though brilliant, was brief ; for an insa- 
tiable craving for popularity was his rock ahead, and 
embittered his otherwise unstained course. To this 
unworthy object he sacrificed talents of a high order, 
fame, honour, reputation, and character. Dum vivimus, 
vivamus, was his motto, and in the auction of life, he 
bid freely for a short and merry lot. The admiration 
which his eloquence commanded was amply sufficient to 
buoy him up with bright anticipations of still higher 
preferment, and he might have succeeded to the full 
extent of his wishes, had he possessed a common share 
of prudence. But he was too thoughtless, open-hearted, 
and impatient to wait the slow and steady progress of 
events. Public applause was the idol before which he 
bowed the knee — riches and honours were the objects of 
his ambition; and, as might be expected, his deities were 
unpropitious ; they deserted him in his need, and disgrace 
and death followed in their train. 

" He was fond of expensive amusements," continued 
the Square, "too fond, alas! for his peace of mind, or for 
the continuance of his popularity; and he entered more 
freely than became his cloth into the licentious pleasures 
of the times, and lived in a lavish profusion, which his 
limited means did not justify. Thus, when his creditors 
were clamorous for a settlement of accounts which he 
did not possess the means of liquidating, he became 
restless and morose, and resorted to unlawful practices 
for the purpose of recruiting his exhausted finances. 

" The fact is, he mistook his vocation. If a tailor 
were to undertake the building of a church, or a stone- 
mason the construction of a court dress, they would both 
undoubtedly fail, and subject themselves to derision and 
contempt. Neither ought a clergyman to meddle in 
secular affairs, and particularly with the abstruse and 
dangerous practice of dabbling in bills and acceptances. 
Our unhappy Brother was too thoughtless to foresee the 
probable consequences of such a course ; and in an evil 
hour, to the universal sorrow and regret of all his friends, 



124 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

he forged a cheque on Lord Chesterfield, his former 
pupil, for ,£4,200, in the hope of being able to redeem it 
before it became due. This hope failed him — his Lord- 
ship was inexorable, and poor Dodd being capitally 
convicted of the forgery, was deprived of his chaplaincy, 
and expelled by the Grand Lodge ; and, notwithstanding 
the most energetic exertions were used for a commuta- 
tion of the sentence, he suffered the extreme penalty of 
the law." 8 

8 The celebrated Dr. Johnson was one of his friends, and he has 
left behind him the following testimony to his merits as a Christian 
divine. "Of his public ministry the means of judging were suffi- 
ciently attainable. He must be allowed to preach well, whose sermons 
strike his audience with forcible conviction. Of his life, those who 
thought it consistent with his doctrines, did not originally form false 
notions. He was at first what he endeavoured to make others ; but 
the world broke down his resolution, and he in time ceased to exem- 
plify his own instructions. Let those who are tempted to his faults 
tremble at his punishment ; and those whom he impressed from the 
pulpit with religious sentiments, endeavour to confirm them by con- 
sidering the regret and self- abhorrence with which he reviewed, in 
prison, his deviations from rectitude." 



125 



CHAPTER VIII. 

DISPUTES. WILLIAM PRESTON. 

1777—1779. 



" Arma virumque cano." — Virgil. 

♦'Pardon thine enemy, and have manliness of heart enough to do 
him good. This generous sacrifice, one of the most exalted precepts 
of religion, Avill awaken in thee the most benignant sensations ; thou 
wilt represent the image of the Deity, who with adorable kindness 
pardons the errors of men, disregarding their ingratitude, and pours 
down his blessings upon them. Always recollect that this is the 
most glorious victory thy reason can obtain over the brutal instincts ; 
and thy motto be — ' A Mason forgets only injuries, never benefits.' " 
— Masonic Exhortations : From the German. 

" I object to you strongly on the score of your processions ; and I 
object to you still more decidedly on the score of your secret. You 
are a secret society, held together by a stringent oath ; now I hold 
that wherever there is mystery there is iniquity." — The Anti-Masonic 
Vicar, in " Stray Leaves." 

In the earliest part of my existence," the Square 
continued, "I heard -the venerable and excellent Bishop 
Hall preach, and he said, very strongly, in his usual 
antithetical manner, ' One man may kindle a fire which 
all the world cannot quench. One plague-sore may 
infect a whole kingdom. One artful partisan will do 
more to seduce others into evil, than twenty just and 
upright men.' 

" This truth will be amply verified in the following 
Revelations : for I have now before me the irksome task 
of communicating the particulars of an unhappy dispute 
between our oldest Lodge and the Grand Lodge itself. 
The recollection of it is by no means pleasing; but as a 
most indefatigable and successful Mason, whose name 
will descend with honour to posterity, was a party in 
the quarrel, it must not be suppressed, for every event in 
the career of such a man cannot fail to be interesting to 
the Fraternity. 



126 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"As a moveable Jewel," continued the Square, "I 
became the property of Bro. Preston, in the year of poor 
Doctor Dodcl's misfortune. He had served the office of 
R. W. M. of the Lodge of Antiquity, in the preceding 
year, when he published a new edition of his celebrated 
Illustrations of Masq/nry. 1 I assure you, sir, Bro. Pres- 
ton was no common man. He was a Scotchman by birth, 
and came to London in the year 1760, soon after which 
lie was initiated in a Lodge, meeting at the White Hart, 
Strand, under the Constitution of the Ancients, as they 
denominated themselves, although in reality, their system 
had not been in existence more than thirty years, and 
arose, as I have already intimated, out of a schism in, 
and secession from, the Grand Lodge of England. There, 
however, Bro. Preston first saw the light. But, being 
doubtful, on their own showing, whether the Brethren with 
whom he was associated were not acting in defiance of 
legitimate authority, he left them and procured admission 
into a regular Constitutional Lodge, at the Talbot, 
Strand. 2 From this time he devoted his attention to the 

1 " Illustrations of Masonry, by William Preston." London, 
Williams, 1772. Second Edition, London, Wilkie, 1775. Third 
Edition, translated into German by Meyer, Stendal, Frauzen, and 
G-rosse, 1776. Fourth Edition, 1780. A new Edition, with addi- 
tions, London, Wilkie, 1781. A new Edition, London, Wilkie, 1788. 
Another Edition, London, 1792. Ninth Edition, London, 1799. 
Tenth Edition, London, Wilkie, 1801. "Illustrations of Masonry, 
selected from Preston, Hutchinson, and others ; to which is prefixed 
the Funeral Service, and a variety of other Masonic Information. 
By John Cole." London, Jordan, 1801. The first American Edi- 
tion, Alexandria and Fredricksberg, Coltorn and Stewart, 1804. 
Twelfth Edition, London, Wilkie, 1812. " Illustrations of Masonry, 
by the late W. Preston ; with Additions and Corrections, by Stephen 
Jones, P. M. of the Lodge of Antiquity." Thirteenth Edition. 
London, Whitaker, 1821. Fourteenth Edition, with additions to the 
present time, and copious Notes, by the Eev. G-. Oliver, D. D. Lon- 
don, Whitaker, Treacher and Co., 1829. Fifteenth Edition, Lon- 
don, Whitaker, 184 . 

2 The account of this transaction given by his biographer, Brother 
Stephen Jones, is as follows: — " Soon after his arrival in London, a 
number of Brethren from Edinburgh resolved to institute a Freema- 
son's Lodge in the city, under the sanction of a Constitution from 
Scotland ; but not having succeeded in their application, they were 
recommended by the Grand Lodge at Edinburgh to the Ancient 
Grand Lodge in London, which immediately granted them a dispen- 
sation to form a Lodge, and to make Masons. They accordingly met 
at the White Hart, in the Strand, and Mr. Preston was the second 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 127 

principles of the Craft as enunciated in its Lectures, and 
succeeded in effecting a beneficial improvement in the 
details of the Order. 

" It will be worth our while to retrograde a little in 
point of time, for the purpose of recording the progress 
of his exertions. 

11 At this period a literary taste was beginning to dis- 
play itself amongst all classes of society, and Bro. Preston 
thought that if Freemasonry was to preserve its stand- 
ing it must spread its roots and expand its branches deep 
and wide, for the purpose of extending its capabilities to 
meet the exigencies of the times. To promote this salu- 
tary end, and to rescue the Order from the charge of 
frivolity, he gave up a considerable portion of his leisure 
to a revision of the Lectures. 

" He commenced his design by holding private meet- 
ings with his friends once or twice a week to effect their 
improvement, on which occasion all the existing rituals 
were discussed with every possible care and attention, 
until, by the assistance of some zealous friends, whom he 
had deputed to visit a variety of Lodges in different 
parts of the kingdom, for the purpose of gaining in- 
formation, he succeeded in arranging and digesting the 
whole of the First Lecture. To establish its validity, 
he resolved to submit the progress he had made to the 
judgment of the Society at large, and on Thursday, 
May 21st, 1772, he gave a banquet, at his own expense, 
at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand, which 
was honoured with the presence of the Grand Officers, 
and many other eminent and respectable Brethren. 

" At his request, the Brethren assembled early," said 
the Square, " and Bro. Preston opened the business of 
the meeting in words to this effect : 

" ' Brethren and Friends, — I should scarcely have 
taken the liberty of soliciting your attendance here this 

person initiated under that dispensation. The Lodge was soon after 
regularly constituted by the officers of the Ancient Grand Lodge in 
person. ... At length Mr. Preston, and some others of the mem- 
bers, having joined a Lodge under the regular English Constitution, 
at the Talbot Inn, in the Strand, they prevailed on the rest of the 
Lodge to petition for a Constitution. Lord Blaney, at that time 
Grand Master, readily acquiesced with the desire of the Brethren, 
and the Lodge was soon after constituted a second time in ample 
form by the name of the Caledonian Lodge." 



128 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

day, had I not conceived that the general interests of 
Masonry might reap essential advantages from a convo- 
cation of the chief Members of the Craft, to consider 
and deliberate on a measure which could not take the 
initiative in Grand Lodge. I allude to a revision of our 
Lodge Lectures, which, I think, ought to keep pace 
with the gradual advancement of other branches of Sci- 
ence, that the Fraternity may be furnished with an 
adequate motive for the exercise of their assiduity and 
zeal. Freemasonry is the friend of Industry, and being 
rather chary of her favours, will not dispense them to 
the indolent or indifferent Brother. If he be either too 
proud to learn, or too listless to attend to the general 
and particular business of the Lodge, there is good reason 
to believe that he will never be a bright and intelligent 
Mason. It would have been better not to have sought 
admission amongst us, than by a want of diligence to 
have rendered his initiation unproductive of solid advan- 
tages. "Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing 
well ; and no one can ever attain excellence in any art, 
human or divine, without an anxious development of the 
principles on which it is founded. His heart must be in 
the work, or he will never succeed ; and Masonry will 
yield neither bud, nor blossom, nor fruit, — he will neither 
understand its objects, nor participate in its advantages. 
With the name of a Mason, he will remain ignorant of 
its secrets, and incapable of estimating their value. 

" ' This is one chief reason why so many nominal 
Bre.thren exist amongst us, who know no more of the 
aim and end of the Institution than if they had never 
seen the light. The bright rays of truth and wisdom 
which illuminated their initiation, have been quenched 
in darkness, and they have sacrificed, at the unholy 
shrine of indolence, such advantages as no other Institu- 
tion has the power of offering for their acceptance. 3 



3 What arc these advantages ? An American writer, Bro. G. F. 
Yates, thus explains them: — " In the most remote times, even as in 
the present, the preservation of the arts and sciences was not the 
exclusive object of Freemasonry. The doctrines of the unity of the 
Godhead, the knowledge of the true God, life and immortality be- 
yond the grave, and of universal love, were taught in our mysteries ; 
that love which is real Cliristianily , has ever been, and is now, the grand 
object of our Order in all its departments." 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 129 

" ' This vapid and unsatisfactory state of things, Bro. 
Preston continued," said the Square, " ' if I am not mis- 
taken, would be greatly ameliorated by a reconstruction 
of the Lectures, and by investing them with new charms, 
more interesting to the imagination and more pleasing 
to the mind. Presuming, therefore, that the object of 
the numerous and talented band of Brethren, who have 
done me the honour to meet me this day for the pur- 
pose of mutual instruction, is a desire of improving the 
mind and enlightening the understanding, it becomes 
my duty to explain the motives which have induced me 
to take the liberty of soliciting your attendance at my 
School of Instruction, and to offer some plain suggestions 
by which a knowledge of the Science may be attained. 

" ' The first and most indispensable requisite for be- 
coming a good Mason, is regularity of attendance on the 
duties of the Lodge, which will open to the view, like 
the gradual approach of light to cheer and invigorate 
the earth on the refulgent morning of a summer's day, 
an increasing development of the bright rays of science, 
till the splendour of truth irradiates the mind, as the 
bursting forth of the orb of day spreads its glories over 
the face of heaven. The instruction of the Lodge is 
delivered orally ; and as, therefore, it can only be secured 
by hearing, every Lecture neglected by absence or inat- 
tention strikes a link from the chain of knowledge. 
Besides, punctuality will receive an additional reward by 
infusing that degree of ardour which is necessary for the 
attainment of excellence. The erection of a magnificent 
building is not the work of a day ; the sacrifice of time 
and labour, the exercise of wisdom, strength, and beauty, 
patience, and consideration, are necessary to complete 
the edifice in all its fair proportions. So in Masonry, no 
one can store his mind with scientific knowledge by any 
other process than the just application of patient indus- 
try, untiring assiduity, and a powerful inclination to 
excel ; for there is no royal road to science. The more 
frequently a Brother appears in the Lodge to witness its 
proceedings, the greater will be his love of Masonry, 
until zeal will ripen into enthusiasm, and prepare him 
for promotion to the highest honours of the Craft. Every 
Free and Accepted Mason, therefore, . who desires to 
understand the elementary principles of the Order, should 



130 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

be earnest in acquiring a competent knowledge of the 
Lectures. As in all other sciences, this can only be 
accomplished by a gradual process. He must take care 
not to begin where he ought to finish, for many excel- 
lent and well-intentioned Brethren have failed by falling 
into this fatal, though very common error.' 

" Bro. Preston," said the Square, " then entered on 
an explanation of the process which he had adopted in 
collecting information, and arranging the various modes 
of working used in different parts of the kingdom, into a 
connected and intelligible form ; 4 and stated that his 
present object was to submit to the judgment of the 
meeting the result of his labours, that he might have 
the benefit of their united opinion on the details of the 
First Lecture, which was all that he had hitherto been 
able to accomplish. 

" 'I need not inform you,' he continued, 'that the 
Degrees of Masonry are progressive. I have constructed 
the series on such a principle, that the preliminary 
clauses of the First Lecture are simply elementary. 
They commence by a process which is calculated to 
fix certain leading principles indelibly in the mind, as 
stepping stones to conduct the student gradually to a 
perfect understanding of that which is to follow. My 
first object was a revival of the Tests. These I have 
distributed into three sections, each containing seven 
questions. It is true, they convey intrinsically no great 
amount of information, but they lead to matters of more 
importance, which would be imperfectly understood 
without their assistance.' 

4 " Wherever instruction could be acquired." his biographer says, 
" thither he directed his course, and, with the advantage of a reten- 
tive memory, and an extensive masonic connection, added to diligent 
literary research, he so far succeeded in his purpose as to become a 
competent master of the subject. To increase the knowledge he 
had acquired, he solicited the company and conversation of the most 
experienced Masons from foreign countries; and, in the course of a 
literary correspondence with the Fraternity at home and abroad, 
made such progress in the mysteries of the Art, as to become very 
useful in the connections he had formed. He has frequently been 
heard to say, that in the ardour of his inquiries, lie lias explored the 
abodes of poverty and wretchedness, and, where it might have been 
least expected, acquired very valuable scraps of information. The 
poor Brother, in return, we are assured, had no cause to think his 
time or talents ill bestowed." 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 131 

"Here," said the Square, " Bio. Preston repeated the 
formula, 5 and then proceeded: — 

"'A competent knowledge of some such series of 
examination questions, adapted to each of the Three 
Degrees, constitutes an indispensable qualification for 
the progress of the candidate from one step to another ; 
and I attach so much value to their acquirement, that, as 
the Master of a Lodge, I never, on any occasion, pass the 
candidate to a superior Degree until he has displayed a 
correct knowledge of these certain tests of his under- 
standing and zeal. And as every Brother is thus neces- 
sarily acquainted with them, the candidate will find 
many opportunities of receiving instruction in private 
before he appears in the Lodge, to assert his claim to 
another Degree. 

" ' After I had arranged these Tests to my satisfaction,' 
Bro. Preston continued, ' I then girded up my loins to the 
still more arduous task of remodelling the whole Lecture, 
with a careful eye to the ancient landmarks. This was a 
work of time and patient industry. And when I had 
completed a digest of the entire Lecture, I found that it 
had extended to a much greater length than I anticipated; 
and, therefore, in order to facilitate its acquirement, it 
became necessary to re-arrange the whole into con- 
venient portions, not only to assist the memory, but also 
for the accommodation of Masters of Lodges, who, when 
pressed for time, might not be able to deliver the entire 
Lecture. 

" 'For this purpose I have divided it into sections, and 
subdivided each section into clauses, a disposition which 
has simplified the subject, and reduced it into a compass 
so narrow and easily accessible, that the application of a 
very small portion of industry and zeal will suffice for 
mastering a competent knowledge of this Lecture, 
although it embodies the chief mysteries of the Craft,' 
together with its reference to science and morals. 

"■'I have no hesitation in saying, that any Brother 
who shall persevere for a few months in studying this 
ritual, and shall faithfully apply it to its legitimate pur- 
pose, will become an ardent admirer of the Science, and 
reap essential benefits from its practice ; while, on the 

5 The questions may be found on page 77, but the answers cannot 
be committed to print. 



132 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

other hand, if any Brother shall rest contented with a 
knowledge of the few conventional signs and tokens by 
which we are distinguished as a body of men set apart 
from the rest of mankind for the purposes of benevo- 
lence and charity, and seek no farther privilege than the 
right of sharing in our convivialities, his reward will be 
carnal instead of intellectual, and he will have nothing 
but sensual pleasure for his pains, which may be pur- 
chased in other societies at half the expense, and with- 
out the trouble and formality of masonic initiation.' 

"At this point," the Square continued, " Bro. Preston 
deliberately repeated the entire Lecture from end to end, 
amidst the reiterated applauses of the Brethren. And 
the commendations were not unmerited, as every one 
who is acquainted with the formula will readily admit. 
Numerous explanations were required by Brothers Dillon, 
D. G. M., Sir Peter Parker, S. G. W., Rowland Berkeley, 
G. Trea., and Bro. Hesletine, G. Sec, who were all 
present, as well as most of the Grand Stewards." But 
these particulars, though the Square might consistently 
reveal them to me, cannot be placed on record here. 

" After the Lecture had been discussed seriatim, and 
approved," said the Square, "Bro. Preston concluded 
with an oration, which was printed in the first edition of 
his celebrated masonic work. 

" The Brethren then adjourned to the banqueting- 
room, where they found a band of music, and a table 
spread with every delicacy the season could afford. It 
was, indeed, a most magnificent affair, and nobly did 
Bro. Preston regale his friends. After the table was 
cleared, and dessert and wine introduced, the conversa- 
tion took its tone from the especial business of the day, 
and, considering the talents and high station in Masonry 
of the company present, was an intellectual treat of no 
common order. 

"These preliminary exertions on the part of our 
worthy Brother," said my amusing companion, "I 
became acquainted with incidentally, for they occurred 
before I had the honour of being introduced to him. 
His singular activity and vigour in the government of a 
Lodge were celebrated throughout the Fraternity, and 
had contributed to heap honours and commendations upon 
him, to which I must add, in justice to his memory, he 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 133 

was fairly entitled. When I was first suspended from 
his collar, he held the office of Deputy G. Sec, which 
occupied much of his time. He executed the chief part 
of the correspondence; entered the minutes; attended 
committees; issued summonses; drew out and printed 
abstracts of petitions ; compiled the calendars, &c. 

" All this labour he performed gratuitously for two 
years, and he was further employed by the Hall Com- 
mittee to search the Grand Lodge Books, and make con- 
densed extracts from the minutes, and to arrange and 
digest them as an appendix to a projected Book of Con- 
stitutions. Such an incessant demand on his time was 
prejudicial to his health, and a transient dispute with 
Bro. Hesletine, the G. Sec, originating in some mis- 
understanding about the publication of his Illustrations 
of Masonry, induced him to resign the office. The cir- 
cumstances which led to this unfortunate disagreement 
are easily enumerated. 

" The Grand Secretary, with a view to the publication 
of an improved edition of the Book of . Constitutions, 
which should bring down the history of Masonry to his 
own time, had selected Bro. Preston, whose popularity 
was in its zenith, as the most eligible person he could 
employ to carry the design into execution. For this 
purpose he was allowed a free inspection of all papers, 
documents, and evidences belonging to the Grand Lodge. 
But it so happened, that while Bro. Preston was thus 
engaged, the Grand Secretary became acquainted with a 
Barrister of Bernard's Inn, called Noorthouck, who was 
a member of the Lodge of Antiquity. Being a facetious, 
free-witted, and amusing fellow, full of anecdote, and 
possessing a fund of general information, the G. Secretary 
became fascinated by his vivacity and ready wit. The 
consequence was, that, as the compilation of the Book 
of Constitutions was likely to be attended with consider- 
able emolument, Bro. Hesletine was desirous of associ- 
ating him with his deputy as a joint partner in the under- 
taking. But as the latter had already incurred all the 
heavy labour in selecting, copying, and embodying the 
records into historical form, in the hope that he should 
be ultimately remunerated for his trouble, he declined 
the offer, and Bro. Noorthouck was intrusted with the 
sole execution of this important work. 
10 



134 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" When Bro. Preston found," the Square continued, 
"that he was excluded from all participation in the 
honours and rewards which he had confidently antici- 
pated would result from the great inconvenience and 
loss of time to which he had been subjected in the pre- 
paration of materials for the undertaking, he expostu- 
lated warmly, and, perhaps, intemperately, against such 
a flagrant act of injustice, and threw up the office of D. 
G. Sec. in disgust. 

" 'By my faith,' said Bro. Preston one evening, when 
the matter was discussed in open Lodge, 'I would not 
have held the D. G. Secretaryship on such terms another 
hour, — no, not if Hesletine were incapable of finding a 
substitute. He might, for aught I care, have done the 
work himself.' 

"It was an imprudent word, and, being repeated to 
Bro. Hesletine, was warmly resented. Whether Bro. 
Preston refused to give up the materials which he had 
collected with so much labour or not, I could never dis- 
cover; but it is highly probable he withheld them, as the 
G. Sec. was mortally offended, and determined within 
himself that such contumacy should, not remain long 
unpunished. 

"An opportunity soon presented itself; and Bro. 
Preston was arraigned before the Grand Lodge for an 
alleged breach of the laws of Masonry. The grounds 
of the proceedings which were instituted against him 
were simple enough in their nature and origin, but they 
produced very serious effects. The facts were these. 
It had been determined unanimously by the Brethren 
of the Lodge of Antiquity, at a full meeting, holden on 
the 17th of December, 1777, that at the annual festival, 
on St. John's day, a procession should be formed to St. 
Dunstan's Church, a few steps only from the Mitre 
Tavern, where the Lodge was held, to hear a sermon 
from Bro. Eccles. 6 

6 Bro. Preston gives the following account of this transaction : — 
"The Master of the Lodge, Bro. Wilson, called upon me, and re- 
quested my assistance in procuring the Church. We waited on Bro. 
Noorthouck, at his chambers, and he acquiesced in our proceedings. 
Some private conversation ensued in regard to the propriety of 
advertising ; and no material objection occurring, it was agreed to 
insert the following in the papers — ' Free Masons. A Sermon will 
be preached before the R. W. Master, Wardens, and Brothers of 
the Lodge of Antiquity, by the Rev. Mr. Eccles, Rector of Bow, and 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 135 

"When the day arrived, and preparations were made 
for the ceremony, a protest against the procession was 
entered by Bro. Noorthouck, the Treasurer, and Bro. 
Bottomley, Past Treasurer of the Lodge ; in consequence 
of which the Brethren abandoned the design, and did 
not proceed to the church in masonic costume, as was 
originally intended, but clothed themselves in the vestry- 
room ; and, being only ten in number, they all sat in the 
same pew. Bro. Eccles gave them an appropriate dis- 
course; and, divine service being ended, the Brethren 
crossed the street in white aprons and gloves. This was 
construed into a grave offence against the standing rules 
of the Order. 

"Bro. Noorthouck did not attend the ensuing Lodge, 
but he sent a strong remonstrance against the proceed- 
ing, and threatened to bring the matter before the Grand 
Lodge, if the Lodge of Antiquity did not, then and there, 
pass a resolution affirming that, as a Lodge, they not 
only totally disapproved of and repudiated the transac- 
tion, but also absolutely censured and condemned the 
ten individuals engaged in the (so called) procession for 
such an unwarrantable breach of masonic law. 

"Bro. Bottomley was intrusted with the resolution, 
and proposed it in form. The Brethren were taken by 
surprise; but the motion being duly seconded, it was of 
course submitted by the Master to the deliberation of 
the Lodge, and a debate ensued. 

" On this evening a distinguished visitor was present, 
in the person of Capt. George Smith, an active and 
zealous Mason, who was on terms of intimacy with the 
Grand Master, and the personal friend of Bro. Preston. 
He had studied Masonry both at home and abroad, and 
was presumed to be well acquainted with the Laws and 
Constitutions of the Order. Eminent in masonic attain- 
ments himself, he was ever ready to estimate and pro- 
claim the same excellence in others. Belonging to an 
honourable profession, he was too chivalric to allow 
passion or prejudice to interfere with justice and equity, 
nor would he suffer the weak to be oppressed without 



Chaplain to that Lodge, on Saturday next, the 27th inst., being the 
festival of St. John the Evangelist, at St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet 
street. Service to begin at 11 o'clock.' " 



136 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

lending a helping hand, even though his exertions in 
their behalf might chance, like the seventh bullet in 
'Der Freischiitz,' to recoil upon himself. 7 In the present 
case, he was impressed with the idea that the charge 
against his friend was too trifling for any serious notice ; 
and he determined to use an effort for its defeat. For 
this purpose he craved permission of the R. W. M. to 
offer an opinion on the question at issue, which would 
have been readily conceded, if Bro. Bottomley had not 
entered a protest, alleging that, as a visitor, he had no 
voice there. Capt. Smith bowed to the decision, and 
informed the Chair that he should content himself with 
watching the proceedings in silence. 

'"You may watch as you please,' Bro. Bottomley 
added, ' so long as you have the kindness to refrain from 
speaking. You are not a Member, and. have no vote 
here.' 

"It was an unpropitious commencement," the Square 
continued, "and I should gladly conceal the subsequent 
proceedings, if I consulted my own inclination. The 
debate continued to a late hour. Bro. Bottomley per- 
sisted in his argument, that the act of appearing in 
public decorated with masonic badges constituted an 
infraction of the spirit, if not of the actual letter of the 
law, and merited censure. 

'"As to the fact,' said Bro. Buchanan, 'we do not 
deny it. We did appear in masonic clothing. But if 
any person chanced to see us, which is not proved, during 
the half-minute employed in crossing the street, he passed 
on without either notice or remark, and, therefore, it is 
evident we attracted no extraordinary observation.' 

" 'How know you that?' Bro. Bigg asked, sneeringly. 

"'Because,' Bro. Buchanan replied, 'I can use my 
eyes.' 

"'If your eyes,' Bro. Bigg responded, 'serve you no 



7 The Square once more anachronizes. But I suppose we must 
excuse the lapse, on the Horatian maxim, *' quando bonus dormiiat 
Homerus." — P. D. — [An error, with submission to the above erudite- 
authority ; for the Square appears to be wide awake. Though re- 
cording the past, he is represented as an existing reality ; and a 
reference to any transaction of more recent date than the period 
of which he treats, is, therefore, grammatically correct. — Ed. F. Q. 
M. tf R.] 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 137 

better than your judgment, there will be some danger 
in intrusting your veracity to their keeping.' 

"This was sharp practice," continued the Square, 
"and Bro. Wilson, the R. W. M., thought it time to 
interfere. 'Come, come,' said he, 'this language is not 
masonic, and is a greater breach of the law than walking 
ten yards in a white apron. Let us, by all means, have 
order in our debates, whatever may be the ultimate 
decision. The question before the Lodge is, whether 
we are inclined to repudiate or discountenance the 
Brethren who attended Divine Service in St. Dunstan's 
Church, on St. John's day?' 

'"With submission, R. W. Sir,' Bro. Bottomley ob- 
jected, 'the resolution which I have had the honour to 
propose refers not to the men so much as to the measure. 
The Lodge is called on to discountenance the breach of 
masonic law committed on that occasion.' 

'"If this be the real question at issue,' said Bro. Pres- 
ton, 'it is first incumbent on you to prove that it was a 
breach of masonic law; for no man, devoid of prejudice, 
would be capable of affirming that the law respecting 
processions actually debars the Members of any private 
Lodge from offering up their adorations to the Deity in a 
public place of worship, in the character of Masons, 
under the direction of their Master. The very idea of 
such restriction would be the height of absurdity, and 
could not be admitted by any person who professed him- 
self a friend to the Society. Example will ever exceed 
precept, and it is surely commendable to see a Lodge of 
Masons patronizing the established religion of their 
country, and thus recommending the practice of piety 
and devotion to their fellow-subjects. Besides which, 
the Lodge of Antiquity has its own peculiar rights, for- 
mally secured to it, at the revival in 1717, when the 
present Grand Lodge was established; and we are deter- 
mined to preserve them inviolate. And I again affirm 
that no existing regulation was infringed, even if it be 
admitted — which is very questionable — that the Grand 
Lodge is empowered to make laws binding upon a Lodge 
which has acted on its own independent authority from 
a period long anterior to the existence of that body.' 

"This avowal," said the Square, " was received with 
so much applause, that Bro. Bottomley exclaimed, ' Ay, 



138 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

those are the sentiments which we are determined to 
rebut, be the consequence what it may. I affirm that 
the Grand Lodge is, absolutely, and to all intents and 
purposes, infallible; and its dictates, whether for good 
or evil, must be obeyed, even by the Lodge of Antiquity, 
though it was in existence before the reconstruction of 
the Grand Lodge.' 

" ' Keep your temper, I beseech you, Bro. Bottomley,' 
said the K. W. M., mildly, 'we are assembled to deliber- 
ate, and not to indulge in personalities and recrimination: 
otherwise, I shall be under the painful necessity of 
closing the Lodge without coming to a decision.' 

"The Master's authority, however, was not sufficient 
to stem the tide, and the debate became so stormy, that 
he had great difficulty in keeping order. At length the 
question was put from the Chair, and it was negatived 
by a majority of eighteen against four. 

" This decision was so unpalatable to the accusing 
Brethren, that, at the ensuing Grand Lodge, a Memorial, 
signed by John Bottomley, John Smith, William Bigg, 
and John Noorthouck, was presented, stating that a 
flagrant outrage had been committed against the Institu- 
tion by the Master, Wardens, and some of the Brethren 
of the Lodge of Antiquity, principally instigated by the 
persuasion and example of Bro. Preston, its Past Master, 
who, at a recent Lodge, violated his duty as a Mason, by 
justifying public processions, and claiming for that Lodge 
an inherent right to act in such affairs without the 
authority of the Grand Lodge, and questioning the 
power of that Body to interfere in the private concerns 
of a Lodge which was alleged to possess a prescriptive 
immunity from its jurisdiction. 

"In consequence of the above charges, Bro. Preston 
was summoned to appear before the Committee of Chari- 
ty, to answer any complaint which might be preferred 
against him. 8 In the intermediate period, however," 

3 The above memorial was replied to officially by the Master, 
Wardens, and Brethren of the Lodge to the number of eighteen, all 
of whom appended their signatures. They stated that, on the occa- 
sion alluded to, ''there was no formal masonic procession ; and that a 
few Brethren only walked across the street from the church to the 
Mitre Tavern, the distance being scarcely a dozen yards, in their 
clothing and Jewels as individuals. Masons were not indiscrimi- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 139 

the Square continued, "the Grand Secretary was im- 
plored by several Brethren, who were personally unin- 
terested in the dispute, to use his influence with the 
memorialists, for the peace and reputation of the Order, 
to induce them to withdraw their charges, as he must 
see that it was simply a frivolous and vexatious attack 
on an individual who had rendered great services to 
Masonry. Unfortunately the application was disre- 
garded. 

"Bro. Preston attended the Committee on the 30th of 
January, 1778, and was charged with asserting that the 
Lodge of Antiquity possessed exclusive privileges of its 
own, independent of the Grand Lodge; and he was 
called on to retract that opinion publicly, and to declare 
that it was equally untrue and inadmissible. 

" In reply to this demand, Bro. Preston rose and said : — 
'Right Worshipful Sir, — In answer to the charge which 
you have now preferred against me, I beg leave respect- 
fully to declare that whatever private opinions I may 
entertain on the prescriptive immunities of the Lodge of 
Antiquity, they have always been inoperative; and I 
have never attempted to prejudice the Brethren against 
their obedience to the Grand Master. As to the abstract 
question of retracting an opinion, I cannot understand 
how that is possible, unless I am convinced of my error; 
and I submit that, as a Free and Accepted Mason, I am 
fairly entitled to the right of self-judgment ; but I pledge 
my honour that it shall never disturb the tranquillity of 
the Craft.' 

"Notwithstanding this open and candid declaration," 

nately collected from a variety of Lodges, with a view of exposing 
the insignia of the Order to gratify a private inclination for masonic 
display, or to amuse the rabble, as the memorialists allege ; the char- 
acter of the profession was not disgraced by imprudence or indiscre- 
tion ; there was no private interest to serve, no peculiar passion to 
gratify; the number of Brethren did not exceed ten, all of whom 
were members of the Lodge ; their behaviour was suitable to the 
business in which they were engaged ; and they, therefore, submit 
their case to the consideration of the Grand Lodge, in the hope that 
the conduct of the memorialists will be considered illiberal; their re- 
flections on Bro. Preston as ungenerous and ill-grounded ; and their 
proceedings dictated by a warmth of temper not altogether consistent 
with their professed knowledge of the principles of Masonry ; and 
that, in consequence thereof, their complaint will be rejected as frivo- 
lous." 



140 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

said the Square, " the Committee came to the following 
resolution, after a long and warm debate. 

'"It having been represented to us that Bro. Preston, 
the Past Master of the Lodge of Antiquity, believes and 
teaches that an inherent right is vested in that Lodge, 
by virtue of its immemorial Constitution, to discharge 
the duties and practise the rites of Masonry on its own 
sole authority, and that it is not in the power of the 
Grand Lodge to infringe on its privileges ; it is Resolved, 
that as Bro. Preston refuses to retract the said false 
opinion, he be, and hereby is, expelled the Grand Lodge, 
and declared incapable of attending the same, or any of 
its Committees.' 

" You will remember, sir," said the Square, swinging 
playfully round on his dexter limb, " that I w T as present on 
all these occasions, and, therefore, may be fairly pre- 
sumed to state the matter correctly. At the next meeting 
of the Lodge of Antiquity, the R. W. M. complained of 
the unusual harshness of the decision, and said, — 'I 
appeal to you all, whether, from the number of years 
Bro. Preston has been actively engaged in Masonry, the 
pains and diligence he has used in promoting the general 
designs of the Order, the many valuable members he has 
introduced, to the amount of upwards of three hundred 
in number, of which Masonry and the Grand Lodge have 
reaped all the benefit, and Bro. Preston nothing, added to 
the time and money he has expended in masonic pursuits, 
the present transaction is not a very ungrateful and in- 
adequate return for his services.' 

" The Brethren answered in the affirmative, and advised 
Bro. Preston to memorialize the Grand Lodge to withhold 
its confirmation of the sentence. He took their advice; 
and at the next Quarterly Communication a motion was 
made to that effect, and a hot debate ensued, in which 
several members took a part ; but as the enemies of Bro. 
Preston appeared to be the most numerous party, the 
Deputy Grand Master proposed a compromise, to the 
effect that if Bro. Preston would sign a document recant- 
ing his opinions respecting the presumed rights of the 
Lodge of Antiquity, the sentence pronounced by the 
Committee of Charity should be formally quashed. Bro. 
Preston hesitated about subscribing to a dogma which 
he did not believe ; but, being pressed by his friends, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 141 

lie complied with the requisition, and signed the docu- 
ment. 

" The sentence of expulsion was thus evaded," con- 
tinued the Square, "but it produced consequences which 
were never anticipated, even by the Deputy Grand Mas- 
ter himself. 

"At the next meeting of the Lodge of Antiquity, Bro. 
Bottomley contended that Bro. Preston no longer pos- 
sessed the power of speaking or voting in any regular 
Lodge, being restricted by his subscription to the above 
document; and moved that Bro. Preston should sign in 
the minute-book a declaration to the same effect with 
that which he had signed at the last Quarterly Commu- 
nication. The question was put, and negatived by a 
great majority. 

" Bro. Preston then said, that if the declaration he had 
signed, at the pressing entreaty of his friends, w T as intend- 
ed to debar him from the privilege of speaking and 
voting in his own Lodge, he should immediately write 
to the Grand Secretary, and withdraw his subscription. 
Accordingly, the next day he wrote to Bro. Hesletine, 
stating that he had affixed his name to the declaration, by 
the advice of his friends, for the sake of peace, although 
his private opinions on the subject remained unchanged ; 
but as he had been informed, to his great surprise, by 
Bro. Bottomley, that it was considered in the light of a 
virtual expulsion from the Order, he had come to the de- 
termination of withdrawing his subscription from the 
document. 

"Poor Bro. Preston," continued the Square, "was 
placed on the horns of a dilemma. If his subscription 
remained untouched, the expulsion was virtual; if he 
withdrew it, the former sentence remained in force, and 
the expulsion was actual. 

" Nor did the proceedings terminate at this point. For 
Bro. Preston was once more summoned before the Com- 
mittee to answer a protest against the proceedings of the 
Lodge of Antiquity, and other complaints which had 
been exhibited against him. 

" At this meeting," said the Square, " the Deputy 
Grand Master occupied the chair, and Bro. Preston was 
permitted to enter on his defence. He made a long and 
admirable speech, in which he contended that the Grand 



142 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Lodge was not competent to enter a protest against the 
proceedings of a private Lodge ; and called upon the 
Grand Secretary to say whether a single precedent to that 
effect could be found on the books of the Grand Lodge 
from its first establishment to the present time. And if 
no precedent could be adduced, he hoped the present 
process would be rejected as informal. 

" This able and conclusive defence," the Square con- 
tinued, "was followed by a desultory conversation, in 
which all the principal parties to the dispute, on both 
sides, delivered their opinions freely. There was a clash 
of arms— loud words — but no bones broken. The case 
was so clear that the Committee came to no formal reso- 
lution on the subject; and Bro. Preston and the mem- 
bers of the Lodge of Antiquity withdrew— not, it is true, 
singing Te Deum — but without having any censure pas- 
sed on their conduct, and scarcely able to ascertain 
correctly why they had been summoned to attend. They 
flattered themselves, however, that, after this vapid exhi- 
bition, the unpleasant subject would be allowed to sink 
quietly into oblivion. 

" Alas," said the Square, " they were never more mis- 
taken. At the very next Quarterly Communication, Bro. 
Hull, a Past Grand Warden, and Clerk in the Salt Office, 
moved, that, in the opinion of this Grand Lodge, Bro. 
Preston had been the promoter and instigator of all the 
measures taken by the Lodge of Antiquity, in derogation 
of the authority of the Grand Master, and calculated to 
bring the Grand Lodge into contempt with the Brethren. 

"This motion was intended as a preparatory step to a 
new censure on his conduct; and being immediately 
seconded, it would have been put to the vote at once by 
the Deputy Grand Master, if some of the Brethren had 
not desired to be heard against it. While the matter was 
in the course of discussion, Bro. Hull was advised by 
some Brethren, who were under the apprehension of 
being in a minority, to withdraw his motion. The even- 
ing being now far advanced, and two other motions 
having been quashed by the D. G. M. on account of their 
tendency to revive the dispute, it was imagined that 
nothing further would be heard respecting the Lodge of 
Antiquity 'or its members; and on this presumption many 
of the most attached friends of Bro. Preston retired. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 143 

"But at this late hour," the Square continued, "a mo- 
tion was made, and duly seconded, to the effect, that the 
Hall Committee be continued with its usual powers, 
except that Bro. Preston's name be excluded; for it was 
thought by his adversaries that if this were carried, it 
would be tantamount to actual expulsion. The proceed- 
ing was not strictly regular; but as all advantages in 
strategy are accounted fair, the resolution, though com- 
bated by Bro. Preston, with his usual tact and ability, and 
though the Deputy Grand Master, perceiving its tenden- 
cy, and feeling confident that it proceeded from an 
unfriendly spirit, observed that unless the Brother could 
be prevailed on to withdraw his motion, he should be 
obliged, though reluctantly, to submit it to the decision 
of the Grand Lodge, it was persisted in; and the ques- 
tion being put, it was carried in the affirmative, and Bro. 
Preston was excluded from the pale of Masonry. 9 

" The R. W. M., Officers and Brethren of the Lodge of 
Antiquity," the Square proceeded to inform me, " felt the 
indignity, which had been cast upon them by these pro- 
ceedings, so warmly, that, at the very next Lodge, they 
expressed their sentiments on the subject, in a manner not 
to be mistaken, by the expulsion of the three chief agita- 
tors, Bros. Bottomley, Noorthouck, and Brearly. They 
passed a unanimous resolution, in which they pronounced 
the late transactions of the Grand Lodge to be a viola- 
tion of their inherent rights ; declaring that from hence- 
forth the Lodge of Antiquity renounced all communica- 
tion with that body ; and that they would for the future 
act on their own legitimate authority, as an immemorial 
Institution. 10 

9 Bro. Preston published a brief account of tbese transactions in 
a pamphlet, which he called "A State of Facts, 1778," for private 
distribution amongst his own particular friends. It was, I believe, 
never published ; but the above particulars have been gathered partly 
from that authority. 

10 Bro. Preston thus laments this unfortunate schism. "The Lodge 
of Antiquity having expelled three of its Members for misbehaviour, 
the Grand Lodge interfered, and, as was thought, without proper in- 
vestigation, ordered them to be reinstated. With this order the 
Lodge refused to comply, the Members conceiving themselves compe- 
tent and sole judges in the choice of their own private Members. . . . 
Matters were carried to the extreme on both sides, resolutions preci- 
pitately entered into, and edicts inadvertently issued, memorials and 
remonstrances were presented in vain, and at last a rupture ensued. 



141 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

'•For ten consecutive years this arrangement continued 
undisturbed ; and the Lodge of Antiquity held on its 
course, independently of either of the rival Grand Lodges 
which were at the head of the two sections into which 
English Masonry was divided. During the period of 
Bro. Preston's exclusion he seldom attended a Lodge; 
but devoted his attention to other literary pursuits, 
which contributed more essentially to his advantage. 
To the Lodge of Antiquity, and to ours," said the Square, 
"he continued warmly attached; and it was a matter of 
deep regret with many of the best friends of the Institu- 
tion, that so useful and zealous a Brother should have 
had occasion to withdraw his active co-operation from a 
Society to which he had proved himself a diligent and 
faithful advocate. 

"At length," the Square continued, "in the year 1787, 
when the metropolitan Fraternity had become grieved 
and disgusted at this unsatisfactory state of things, so 
disreputable to the Order, and his Royal Highness the 
Duke of Cumberland was Grand Master of Masons, he 
was earnestly entreated to interfere. Under his superin- 
tendence, therefore, the case of Bro. Preston and the 
Lodge of Antiquity was submitted to the consideration 
of the Grand Lodge in a better spirit ; and that body at 
once rescinded all the former proceedings, reinstated the 
Lodge of Antiquity in all its masonic privileges, and 
restored Bro. Preston to his dignities and honours. 
And, to the unfeigned joy of all the Fraternity, this 
eminent Brother, like the sun bursting through a bank of 
clouds, once more resumed his usual activity in the sacred 
cause of Masonry. He revived the Order of Harodim, 
and instituted a Grand Chapter, where the Lectures of 
Masonry were periodically illustrated by the Companions. 
Over this Chapter the Right Hon. Lord Macdonald pre- 
sided as Grand Patron; and James Hesletine, William 

The Lodge of Antiquity pleaded its immemorial privileges, published 
a manifesto in its vindication, notified its separation from the Grand 
Lodge, and avowed an alliance with the Grand Lodge of all England, 
held in the city of York. The Grand Lodge, on the other hand, en- 
forced its edicts, and expelled several worthy Brethren from the 
Society for refusing to surrender the property of the Lodge to per- 
sons who had been regularly expelled from it. This produced a 
schism which lasted for ten years." — (Illustr. of Masonry, p. 245. 
Ed. 1829.) 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 145 

Birch, John Spottiswoode, and William Meyrick, Esqs., 
as Vice-Patrons. 11 H 

" Through the medium of this Institution, Bro. Pres- 
ton's system of lecturing became prevalent in all the 
Lodges both in town and country; and," the Square 
added, "I considered it to be a great blow and discour- 
agement to Masonry, when the Order of Harodim was 
suffered to fall into desuetude, inasmuch as, while it 
preserved the ancient purity of the science, it refined the 
vehicle by which it is conveyed to the ear ; as a diamond 
is enhanced in value by being polished." 

11 The Order is thus explained by its author. "The mysteries of 
this Order are peculiar to the Institution itself; while the lectures of 
the Chapter include every branch of the masonic system, and repre- 
sent the art of Masonry in a finished and complete form. Different 
classes are established, and particular lectures restricted to each class, 
lhe lectures are divided into sections, and the sections into clauses, 
lhe sections are annually assigned, by the chief Harod, to a certain 
number of skilful companions in each class, who are denominated 
fcectiomsts ; and they are empowered to distribute the clauses of then- 
respective > sections, with the approbation of the Chief Harod and 
Ceneral Director, among the private companions of the Chapter, who 
are denominated Clauseholders. Such companions as by assiduity 
become possessed of aU the sections in the lecture, are called Lec- 
turers; and out of these the General Director is always chosen." 



146 



CHAPTER IX. 

FIRE ! CAPTAIN a. SMITH. 

1779—1785. 



" The Dove brings quiet, and the Olive peace." — Prior. 

"Wise and learned men are the surest stakes in the hedge of a 
nation or city ; they are the best conservators of our liberties ; the 
hinges on which the welfare, peace, and happiness hang; the best 
public good, and only commonwealth's men. These lucubrations, 
meeting with a true and brave mind, can conquer men ; and, like the 
basilisk, kill envy with a look." — Smith. 

"Ye dull stupid mortals, give o'er your conjectures, 
Since Freemasons' secrets ye ne'er can obtain; 
The Bible and Compasses are our Directors, 
And shall be as long as this world doth remain." 

Masonic Song. 



After the important case of Bro. Preston had been 
disposed of, the Square continued its revelations by 
quoting Plato. "This celebrated philosopher," he said, 
"once observed, 'that there never was an individual born 
into the world who did not possess some personal quality 
which was sure to recommend him to notice, if properly 
applied. If of a fair complexion, he will be considered 
the favourite of heaven; if black, manly; should he be 
hooked-nosed, it will give him an air of majesty,' &c; 
and he might have said the same thing of mental qualifi- 
cations, which are quite as diversified as bodily peculiari- 
ties. 

"These remarks are fully exemplified in the character 
of an eminent and worthy Brother, Capt. George Smith, 
on whose breast I was now glittering as E. W. M. of the 
Lodge. He was an intimate friend of Grand Master the 
Duke of Manchester, plain in speech and manners, but 
honourable and upright in his dealings, and an active 
and zealous Mason. As Provincial Grand Master for 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 147 

Kent, he had delivered his inauguration Charge on St. 
John's day, 1778 j 1 and drew up a code of laws for the 
province which was much approved. 2 In a word, he was 
a bright and learned Brother, although rather bibulously 
inclined ; and in his convivial moments, he jocularly 
adopted the symbolical vocabulary which had become 
familiar to him by long practice on the continent, calling 
the table a ivorfohoj) ; bottles, barrels; glasses, cannons; 
candles, stars, &c. 

"But this whimsicality was only indulged on occasions 
of festivity, and did not derogate either from the general 
excellence of his masonic administration, or from his 
personal popularity. The affairs of the Lodge were 
prosperous, and the Brethren were edified by his lucid 
disquisitions on many abstruse points which, at that 
period, were but imperfectly understood by any but 
bright Master Masons. His lectures attracted numerous 
visitors, and Bro. Dunckerley was one of his most inti- 
mate and esteemed friends. 

"I remember," said the Square, "on a very full even- 
ing, when several distinguished Masons, Bro. Dunckerley 
amongst the number, were present, the R. W. M. had 
been lecturing on the Fellowcraft's Degree, when an 
interesting discussion arose, respecting the true form, 
destination, and emblematical meaning of the Winding 
Staircase; Bro. Dunckerley observing, that in his opi- 
nion some extraordinary misconception must have existed 
amongst the Fraternity concerning this remarkable 
structure, because, he said, 'it is improperly delineated 
in all the engravings and diagrams that I have ever seen. 
Its true form was undoubtedly spiral, and it was termed 
cochleus from its resemblance to a screw or worm. The 
number of steps assigned to it is evidently symbolical, 
and has varied in different ages of the Craft. At first it 
was 3, 5, or 7; afterwards 3, 5, 7, or 11; while it is 
occasionally phrased 3, 5, 7, or some greater number, 
which may, perhaps, be the true ancient reading. I 
should be glad to hear the opinion of so good a Mason 
as our R. W. M. on this abstruse subject.' 

1 Charge to the Lodge of Friendship at Dover, Dec. 27, 1778. 
3 Rules and Regulations for the government of the Provincial 
Grand Lodge of Kent. 1781. 



14S THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"Being thus appealed to by name," said the Square, 
"Bro. Smith rose from his chair, and addressing the 
Brethren, he said, 'Bro. Dunckerley has correctly ob- 
served, that the form of the Winding Staircase was 
spiral ; and I need not add, as you are all conversant 
with the fact, that the Masons, at the building of the 
Temple, are traditionally said to have made use of it 
when they ascended to the Middle Chamber to receive 
their wages. But its symbolical reference involves facts 
and doctrines of the greatest importance, which were 
taught to the Craftsmen in their Lodges. On the first 
step they were instructed, according to our received tra- 
ditions, to reflect on the Divine Unity, and to worship 
Jehovah, the great Creator and Governor of all subluna- 
ry things. The third step suggested the Holy Trinity; 
the fifth referred to the orders of architecture, and the 
external senses; the seventh, to the liberal sciences, and 
to the days of labour and rest at the creation of the world ; 
and the eleventh, to the Patriarchs after Joseph was sold 
into Egypt.' 

"Having given this brief explanation, Bro. Preston 
requested permission to state his opinion, which being 
granted, he said, 'I am inclined to believe, E. W. Sir, 
that the Masons of the Middle Ages extended this 
symbolical comparison somewhat farther. They repre- 
sented the three steps as pointing out the number of Ma- 
sons who ruled the Lodge, in allusion to the three Grand 
Masters at the building of the Temple, viz., the Master 
and Wardens ; the five steps to the number of Brethren 
who are competent to hold a Fellowcraft's Lodge, viz., 
the Master, Wardens, and two Fellowcrafts ; the seven 
steps to" those who are reputed to make a Lodge perfect, 
viz., the Master, Wardens, two Fellowcrafts, and two 
Apprentices ; and the eleven, to the number of Apostles 
after the apostacy of Judas Iscariot.' 

"This explanation," interposed the Square, "though 
forming a part of the Prestonian Lectures, is at variance 
with those of Dr. Hemming, which are now in use, for 
they exclude all religious references, and account for the 
symbolical steps by an allusion to simple physical causes 
and effects. But this interpretation receives no counte- 
nance from the established mode of lecturing used by our 
ancient Brethren. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 149 

"Bro. Meyrick, a promising young man," the Square 
continued, "who had been recently initiated, inquired of 
the chair whether he might be permitted to ask if any 
masonic traditions are in existence respecting the use 
and appropriation of this staircase, in connection with 
the upper chambers of the Temple ? 

"In answer to this inquiry, the R. W. M. stated that 
the Staircase led directly to the Middle Chamber, a fact 
which is attested equally by Masonry and the Holy 
Scriptures, although, in the former, we have introduced 
an entrance door, ornamented with certain hieroglyphics, 
which are not noticed in the latter. The old Lectures 
of Masonry simply say that the door was open, but closely 
tyled, and that the ceiling of the Chamber contained an 
illuminated Letter, as a sacred symbol, referring to the 
art by which the Temple had been built and decorated. 

"To this information," said the Square, "Bro. Dunc- 
kerley added an observation on the Letter itself, which is 
not void of interest. He said, 'We call it the Letter (§) ; 
but, in fact, if it were really a single letter, it was the 
Yod within a triangle ^, which the Rabbins call the 
Kixg- Name, and believe it to include all the attributes 
of the Deity. It will be impossible, however, to deter- 
mine correctly whether the inscription in the Middle 
Chamber was m orsnsv, but probably the latter; although, 
as the Jewish religion was typical of Christianity, the 
former, which meant the Messiah, would be equally ap- 
propriate; and as far as the reference to numbers extends, 
it might be either ; for, as the former applies to 3, 5, and 7, 
so the latter embraced the original canon of 3, 5, 7, and 
11. In this Chamber, according to the teaching of Free- 
masonry, the Fellowcrafts received their wages on the 
Square, without diffidence or scruple, from the good 
opinion which they entertained of their employers. 

"Here Bro. Dunckerley resumed his seat; and after a 
short silence, Bro. Dupont rose, and stated his doubts 
whether these facts were well authenticated. 'As the 
Masons,' he said, ' were principally employed in the forest 
and the quarry, before the foundations of the Temple were 
laid, it was morally impossible that they could have re- 
ceived their wages in the manner indicated by the tradi- 
tion ; nor could the process have been adopted at all in 
this locality, with the Ancient Junior Warden guarding 
11 



150 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the foot, and the Ancient Senior Warden the summit of 
the Staircase, until the Temple was nearly completed. 
Some enthusiastic Brethren, as I am informed, have been 
so unwise as to adopt another Rabbinical fiction, and 
think that because the stones were hewn and squared in 
the quarries of Zeredatha — and that, consequently, there 
was neither axe, hammer, or tool of iron heard in the 
house, while it was building — they were not in reality so 
prepared by human agency, or by the use of any instru- 
ment whatever, but that all this work was performed by 
a worm called Samir, which is termed by these Brothers 
the Insect Shermah. The legend, although too absurd for 
belief, goes on to say, that after the materials were thus 
prepared, they conveyed themselves, without assistance, 
to Jerusalem, and were put together by angels. This 
fable is noticed by Bishop Patrick, who thinks that it 
might probably arise from the conjecture of some enthu- 
siastic person who did not understand the meaning of 
the word Samir, which signifies a very hard stone, by the 
use of which other stones were cut and polished. And 
the emblem undoubtedly referred to the peace and har- 
mony of the Christian Church, where all things ought to 
be done without dispute or contention.' 

"I have been somewhat diffuse on this point," the 
Square continued, "for the purpose of showing you how 
these matters were handled in the Lodges, and by the 
Masons of the eighteenth century, and I now turn to 
other topics of a more stirring character. 

U I need scarcely tell you, my dear friend, and surely I 
may apply that appellation to you, after so long a con- 
ference, that I had the advantage of being present at 
most of the Grand Lodges (for the Master of our Lodge 
was generally at his post), whence proceeds my universal 
knowledge of the transactions of the Craft. And I am 
now about to favour you with a fragment of secret history 
respecting our worthy R. W. M., of which the Fraternity 
in general were ignorant, because in those days the 
transactions of the Grand Lodge were imperfectly re- 
ported. 

" He regularly attended the Quarterly Communica- 
tions, and, in his capacity of Auditor of the Grand 
Lodge, had discovered, or fancied he had discovered (for 
the matter was never fully investigated) some trifling 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 15i 

discrepancy in the Grand Secretary's accounts. He 
whispered his suspicions to the Grand Master, and Bro. 
Hesletine was mortally offended, although the insinua- 
tion applied to him only by reflection from his subor- 
dinates. 

" When Achilles was affronted at the siege of Troy," 
said the Square, "he withdrew from the Grecian host 
in sullen discontent. Not so Bro. Hesletine. High in 
moral courage, and armed with the triple panoply of in- 
nocence, integrity, and uprightness of intention, he deter- 
mined to break a lance with his military opponent at the 
very earliest opportunity ; and the first encounter came 
off at the Quarterly Communication in May, 1780. 

"At this Grand Lodge, the Duke of Manchester an- 
nounced the nomination of our E. W. M., Capt. G. Smith, 
to be his Junior Warden; when the Grand Secretary 
entered a caveat against the appointment, on the ground 
that he was already a P. G. Master, which constituted, 
in his opinion, a disqualification for any office in Grand 
Lod2;e. 

"Capt. Smith requested the G. Secretary to point out 
the law which rendered an office in Grand Lodge unten- 
able with a Provincial Office, and appealed to the Breth- 
ren whether the act of impeding the Grand Master in the 
exercise of his undoubted privilege of nominating his 
subordinate officers, did not constitute a grave offence, 
opposed equally to the dignity of Solomon's Chair, and 
the courtesy due to its legitimate occupant. 

"It was not a very edifying spectacle," interjected the 
Square, " to see two such men opposed to each other in 
a Mason's Lodge, the patented abode of" harmony and 
peace. The G. Secretary was unconvinced, and persisted 
in his objection, because, he said, it is anomalous for any 
one individual to sit in Grand Lodge under two qualifi- 
cations ; for, if such a practice were admitted, he might 
claim to have two votes on every question, one in each 
capacity, which would be totally inconsistent with the 
general laws of Masonry. And, he added, as an illustra- 
tion of his argument, that the Grand Master, and every 
Brother now present, must recollect a disgraceful trans- 
action, which occurred only a few years ago, arising out 
of this very questionable practice. 

"The case was this: — A noble Lord, who held a high 



152 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

office in Grand Lodge, had a younger brother, who was 
desirous of a seat in the House of Commons. Now, it so 
happened, that the representation of a certain borough 
in a Province, for which no deputation had been granted, 
became vacant, by the death of one of its members. The 
peer immediately sent his brother down as a candidate, 
and procured from the Grand Master his own appoint- 
ment as the Prov. G. M. In that capacity, he convened 
a P. G. Lodge in the borough ; converted all the princi- 
pal Masons who had votes into P. G. Officers ; gave them 
a sumptuous dinner, and promised them a masonic gala 
on a future day. Thus, by an assumed urbanity and 
kindness, he reaped golden opinions from all the Breth- 
ren, and his relative was triumphantly returned in the 
face of a strenuous opposition. 

" His lordship's zeal cooled down after his purpose had 
been accomplished ; and the promised masonic gala was 
exchanged for an election ball, which so disgusted the 
Brethren, and offended the public, that Masonry became 
a by-word and term of reproach, equivalent to treachery 
and insincerity, and was almost extinguished in the pro- 
vince for several years. 

" ' Such proceedings,' Bro. Hesletine continued, ' re- 
flect disgrace on the Grand Lodge, when the offender 
happens to be one of its officers, because the Constitu- 
tions expressly forbid any Brother, how high soever may 
be his rank, to use Freemasonry as a political engine for 
any purpose whatever. We all know, M. W. Sir,' the 
G. Secretary concluded, 'that his lordship's rank pre- 
vented any official notice to be taken of the circum- 
stances, but it created great dissatisfaction, and was 
universally condemned by the Fraternity, which his 
lordship held in sovereign contempt, after he had made 
Freemasonry subservient to his own private interests.' 

" This being a strong case," said the Square, " Capt. 
Smith offered to relinquish the P. G. Mastership, if it 
should be the opinion of the Grand Lodge that the two 
offices, vested in the same person, is inconsistent with 
the provisions of masonic law. Bro. Hesletine's objec- 
tion, however, was overruled by the Grand Master him- 
self, who observed that, if the law propounded by the G. 
Secretary were sound, a Grand officer would be debarred 
from accepting the Chair of a private Lodge, which, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 1-53 

equally with the office in question, gives a vote in Grand 
Lodge. He proceeded, therefore, to appoint Capt. Smith 
his Junior Grand Warden, without requiring him to 
surrender his Provincial office. But, at the subsequent 
Communication, the G. Secretary announced that Capt. 
Smith had relinquished the office of a Grand Warden ; 
and it was immediately resolved, as a standing rule, that 
it should in future be considered a violation of the laws 
of this Society for any Brother to hold more than one 
office in the Grand Lodge at the same time. 3 

" This sparring was only preparatory to a more serious 
contest in Grand Lodge on the 9th of April, 1783, under 
a president who was not particularly favourable to Capt. 
Smith's views, the Earl of Effingham acting for H. R. H. 
the Duke of Cumberland, G. M. It appears that Capt. 
Smith had written or compiled a Book on Masonry, and 
was desirous of publishing it under the sanction of the 
Grand Lodge. A motion to that effect was brought 
forward in his absence by a friend, when Bro. Hesletine 
rose and observed that the application had been already 
entertained by the Committee of Charity, which, after 
mature deliberation, had resolved that it be recommended 
to the Grand Lodge to withhold its sanction to the work. 

" This reported decision of the Committee," the Square 
continued, " brought on an animated debate, in which 
several members of the Grand Lodge took a part. In 
answer to a question from the Acting Grand Master, the 
G. Secretary admitted that no particular objection had 
been stated against the book ; but that the sanction of 
the Committee had been refused on the general principle 
that, considering the flourishing state of the Lodges, 
where regular instruction and suitable exercises are ever 
ready for all Brethren who zealously aspire to improve 
themselves in masonic knowledge, new publications are 
unnecessary on a subject which books cannot teach. 
* Indeed,' he continued, 'the temptations to authorship 
have effected a strange revolution of sentiment since the 
year 1720, when ancient manuscripts were destroyed by 
scrupulous Brethren to prevent their appearance in a 
printed Book of Constitutions.' 

"The Deputy Grand Master, Bro. Rowland Holt, 

3 M. S. penes me. See also Noorth. Const., p. 336. 



154 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

stated, that, in his opinion, ' masonic literature ought to 
be encouraged ; and that it was the interest, and would 
be the soundest policy of Freemasonry, to keep pace 
with the increasing intelligence of the age.' 

" Bro. Burlington observed, that all masonic publica- 
tions were trash. 

"The Deputy Grand Master replied, rather sharply, 
' But surely our worthy Brother, in his sweeping con- 
demnation, will make an exception in favour of Ander- 
son's Defence, and the useful publications of Calcott, 
Hutchinson, Dunckerley, and Preston.' 

" ' I make no exceptions whatever,' responded Bro. 
Burlington, ' for I never read a masonic book in my life, 
and I trust I never shall.' 

" ' Then,' asked the D. G. M., ' how can you consci- 
entiously pronounce a book to be trash, which you con- 
fess you have never read?' 

"Bro. Burlington found himself in a dilemma, and, 
being unable to return a direct answer to this home 
question, he cut the knot, by exclaiming, ' I hate all 
masonic writings!' and turned the subject from himself 
by asking Bro. Goldsmith what masonic books he had 
read. 

" Bro. Goldsmith replied that he thanked God he had 
read nothing but the Book of Constitutions and the 
Ahiman Rezon. 

"0! Bro. Goldsmith, Bro. Goldsmith," the Square 
interjected, "what a discourteous lapsus lingual Had 
you forgotten that the Ahiman Rezon was written ex- 
pressly to denounce the very Grand Lodge in whose 
presence you were standing when the ungracious thanks- 
giving was uttered ! 

"The Hon. Washington Shirley, a friend of Capt. 
Smith's, then rose, and entered into a long defence of the 
proposed work, stating that it contained little more than 
an amplification of the subjects which had been already 
promulgated by Bro. Calcott, under the sanction of the 
Grand Master, and nine-tenths of the Craft throughout 
England ; that, as all other sciences were freely and 
copiously illustrated for the general benefit of mankind, 
he thought Freemasonry ought to enjoy the same advan- 
tages. A mine of gold, without workmen or tools, he 
observed, will yield no returns ; and a science, without 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 155 

books, is equally worthless. He felt morally certain, 
that genuine masonic writings would serve to disabuse 
the public mind, by dissipating the absurd conjectures 
which were fostered and encouraged by the catch-penny 
trash that had been spread over the face of the country 
under the pretext of explaining the secrets of the Order; 
and he thought that, as the favour of a Grand Lodge 
sanction had been awarded to Calcott and Hutchinson, 
it ought not to be withheld from Capt. Smith, who was 
an intelligent member of Grand Lodge, and an active and 
successful P. G. Master. 

" The G. Secretary replied somewhat acrimoniously," 
said the Square, " and ventured to utter a few oblique 
sarcasms against Bro. Smith, which the Acting Grand 
Master observed would have been much better omitted : 
at the same time declaring himself to be unfriendly to 
all publications on the subject of Masonry. And the 
question being formally put from the Throne, was de- 
cided in the negative. 

" Bro. Smith, however, published his book without the 
sanction, 4 and the edition was speedily exhausted ; and, 
at the following anniversary, Bro. Hesletine resigned the 
G. Secretaryship. 

" This decision," continued the Square, " as might be 
expected, had an unfavourable effect on the interests of 
masonic literature ; and nothing was published for some 
years but a few single Sermons and Orations. 5 The 
G. Secretary, however, embraced this opportunity of 
bringing out his new Book of Constitutions, which had 
been entrusted, a few years ago, to the editorship of Bro. 
Noorthouck, as I have already had occasion to mention. 
The manuscript being now ready, it was submitted to 

4 "On the Use and Abuse of Freemasonry. By Bro. Capt. G. 
Smith, P. G. M. for Kent." London. Kearsley, 1783. 

5 A Sermon preached at Maidstone before the P. G. Lodge of 
Kent, on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, by the Rev. Bro. 
Delanoy, 1781. An Oration delivered in Christ Church, Middleton, 
1783. A brief History of Freemasonry, collected from the most 
approved authors ; to which is added a Concise System of Christian 
Masonry, by J. Johnson, Grand Tyler and Janitor to the Grand 
Arch Chapter. London, Moore, 1784. On Brotherly Love, delivered 
at the Constitution of the Harmonic Lodge, No. 369, Dudley, by the 
Rev. John Hodgets, 1784. 



156 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the Hall Committee for examination and correction; and 
at length it received this unequivocal sanction : 

" 'We, the Acting Grand Master, Deputy Grand Mas- 
ter, Grand Wardens, and other Members composing the 
Hall Committee, do hereby recommend this present 
edition as the only Book of Masonic Constitutions for 
the Free and Accepted Masons ; disallowing all other 
publications that have not the sanction of the Grand 
Lodge ; and do warn all the Brethren against being con- 
cerned in writing, printing, or publishing any such book 
in their respective Lodges, as they shall be answerable 
to the Grand Lodge.' 6 

"This, I believe," added the Square, "is the only 
authentic book that you have on the general history of 
Masonry. 7 And subsequent investigations into the true 
philosophy of Speculative Masonry have shown that it 
conveys a very imperfect, and, in many respects, erroneous 
view of the subject. We are not a society of Operative, 
but of Speculative Masons. As well might a student in 
divinity hope to find evidences of the Christian system 
of religion in the moral writings of Seneca or Plato, 
as the masonic tyro expect to derive a clear notion 
of Symbolical Masonry by the study of Noorthouck's 
improved edition of Anderson's History. Both would 
experience the mortification of disappointment. I have 
heard the observation of our most learned Masons on 
this production, and the prevailing opinion was, that Bro. 
Noorthouck ought to have added, at the least, a slight 
sketch of Speculative Masonry to Dr. Anderson's Opera- 
tive History, as the intelligence of the times required 
some additional illustrations. For this, added to the 
increasing popularity of Freemasonry, demands that a 
clear and comprehensive history of the Order should be 
published by authority, explaining, in a rational and 
intelligent manner, without any affectation of secresy, 



6 The above sanction was signed by Effingham, A. G. M. ; Rowland 
Holt, D. G. M. ; W. Shirley, S. G. W. : W. Carrington, J. G. W. ; 
and countersigned by the Grand Secretaries. 

7 "Constitutions of the Ancient Fraternity of Free and Accepted 
Masons ; containing their History, Charges, Regulations, &c ; first 
compiled, by order of the Grand Lodge, from their old Records and 
Traditions. A new edition, revised, enlarged, and brought down to 
the year 1784, by John Noorthouck." London, Rozea, 1784. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 157 

its origin and design, the utility of its mysteries, and the 
moral and religious references of its symbolical con- 
struction ; for it is a standing disgrace to the Craft that 
nothing has been done for the last seventy years to 
remedy its glaring defects. 

" Towards the close of Bro. Smith's term of office," 
continued the Master's Jewel, "and he occupied the 
chair of the Lodge for four successive years — a very rare 
practice, by-the-bye — several of our Members assembled 
in the Lodge unusually early; and some of them made 
their appearance before the Tyler had arranged the furni- 
ture, and disposed the jewels on the cushion of each 
officer's desk or altar. I had not been placed on the 
closed Bible in the East more than five minutes, before I 
became aware that something out of the common way 
was in agitation, but what it was I could not make out. 
There were present several visitors of distinction in the 
Craft, and little knots of four or five Brethren each were 
formed in different parts of the room, speaking to one 
another in a suppressed tone of voice. 

" ' We have no time to lose,' said one. 

" '0, as for that,' said another, 'all is prepared.' 

"'We shall make a night on't,' responded a third. 

"'Is he apprised of the circumstance?' asked Bro. 
Dagge. 

" ' Certainly not,' was the answer. 

" Then in another part of the room I heard Sir John 
Aubyn say, 'But what if he should not come?' 

" 'No fear of that,' was the reply of the Hon. Wash- 
ington Shirley. 

" 'Then you intend to surprise him,' Bro. Dunc- 
kerley asked, as he stood carelessly with his elbow on the 
mantelpiece. 

"'That is the cream of the joke,' said Bro. Cres- 
pigny ; 'and I believe he has not the slightest suspicion 
of the treat which is prepared for him.' 

"Again a third group were expressing their delight at 
the scheme, whatever it might be ; and I heard the 
Deputy Grand Master, Bro. Rowland Holt, ask who 
were the originators of the measure. 

"'Brothers Shirley, Hesletine, and Crespigny,' was 
the reply. 



158 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" 'How?' said the D. G. M. 'Then I presume Bro- 
thers Hesletine and - Smith are friends again?' 

" 'Perfectly so,' Bro. Vanderstop answered ; ' are they 
not Brothers?' 

" ' I am glad to hear it with all my heart,' responded 
Bro. Holt, 'and I hope they will always continue to 
be so, for they are both valuable and efficient Masons.' 

"What all this secret preparation was about, I could 
not, for the life of me, guess," said the Square, "and I 
began to fear something had happened which might 
compromise our hitherto irreproachable R. W. M., and 
disturb his popularity. While these thoughts were 
passing across my mind, I heard, in a remote corner of 
the room, some Brother observe, in rather a loud tone of 
voice — 

" 'What glorious spirits he'll be in when the commu- 
nication is made !' 

"Ha! ha! ha! was repeated in full chorus; and the 
laughter became general when the joke was repeated. 

During these detached conversations, which continued 
a few minutes longer, Capt. Smith entered the room, his 
good-humoured countenance beaming with radiant smiles, 
which diffused happiness and joy, like a gush of sunshine 
breaking through an atmosphere of clouds. Greeting a 
few of the Brethren as he passed, he walked straight up 
to the pedestal, and gave the report. The Brethren 
were clothed and seated round the table in a few minutes, 
and the R. W. M. opened the Lodge. The minutes 
having been read, and no particular business appearing 
on the books, the Master was in the act of rising to 
deliver the Lecture, when he was superseded by Bro. 
Shirley, who said, addressing the chair, — 

"'R. W. Sir, before you commence the business of 
the Lodge, I would request the favour of a brief hearing, 
as I have somewhat to communicate, which I trust will 
neither be disagreeable to you, or any of the Brethren 
present.' 

"He resumed his seat," said the Square, "and Bro. 
Smith replied, in his usual abrupt, but exceedingly 
facetious manner, ' Ho, Bro. Shirley, are not you out of 
order?' 

" 'I am afraid,' Bro. Shirley responded, 'I a?n rather 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 159 

out of order, but, R. W. Sir, I hope it will be consid- 
ered an excusable trespass, when the nature of my com- 
munication is known.' 

" ' Go on, go on,' was heard in the west. 

" 'Order, order, chair,' from the Brethren in the south. 

"The R. W. M. then said, that although Bro. Shirley's 
interruption was somewhat irregular, yet he should be 
most happy to hear his proposition, and was sure that 
the Brethren would entertain it with becoming dignity 
and seriousness. 

"Bro. Shirley having thus obtained the sanction of 
the chair, proceeded to say, that as it was the evening 
of the last Quarterly supper during the presidency of 
their worthy and popular R. W. M., a few Members of 
the Lodge, himself included, as a mark of their esteem, 
and a grateful admission of the talent by which he had 
contributed so essentially to the general interests of the 
Society, have resolved to provide a supper at their own 
expense. (Hear, hear, from all parts of the Lodge.) 
And to invite Bro. Smith, and all the Members present, to 
favour us with their company, hoping that the R. W. M. 
will honour the banquet still further by retaining the 
chair, and presiding over it with that tact and good- 
humour which have uniformly characterized the social 
meetings of the Lodge when celebrated under his super- 
intendence. And if, R. W. Sir, you will condescend to 
accept our offering, we further pray that, as there is no 
particular business on the books, you will dispense with 
the Lecture, and close the Lodge early, as supper is to be 
on the table at eight o'clock. 

" This speech was loudly applauded from every quarter 
of the Lodge. When the acclamations had subsided, 
Bro. Smith rose and said — 

"Ho, friend Shirley, are you 'there with your bears? 
Well, then, be it according to you wish. I thank you 
for the honour, and by George, our King, we'll make a 
night on't. If this is to be the game, away with grave 
business ; we'll be merry for the nonce, if we never be 
merry again. As the old song says — ■ 

" 'Adieu, sober-thinking detraction and spleen; 

You ought to be strangers where Masons convene ; 
Come, jest, love, and laughter, ye sociable throng ; 
You're free of the Lodge, and to Masons belong.' 



3 60 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"The Lodge was accordingly closed at eight, and the 
Brethren adjourned to the supper-room, on receiving an 
intimation from the Tyler, that the work- shop was deco- 
rated, the stalls placed, the materials spread, a rough ashlar 
on each rag, the platforms set, the stars shining brilliantly, 
barrels of strong, weak, and yellow powder ready for charg- 
ing the cannons, and everything prepared for immediate 
mastication. 

" The gallant captain was now in his element. He 
was ceremonially ushered into the supper-room by the 
D. Gr. M. and Bro. Dunckerley, and took his place 
amidst the cheers and plaudits of the Brethren. Every- 
thing was in order, as the Tyler had announced, and a 
sumptuous affair it proved to be. When the Brethren 
were seated, Grace was said by Bro. the Rev. Daniel 
Turner, of Woolwich, in the following form: — 

" ' O Source of purest light ! O Lord of glory ! Great, 
incomprehensibly great, are thy handiiborks! Thou gavest 
us, at the building of the Temple, wisdom, strength, and 
beauty ! Thou gavest us vitality, pleasure, meat, and drink. 
To Thee, therefore, be glory, honour, praise, and thanks.'' 

" This was the signal for action; and immediately the 
clatter of swords and pickaxes, tyles and trowels, was heard, 
and the process of mastication began. 

" 'I'll thank you to hand the cement? says one. 

" ' A little of that sand? says another. 

" 'Tyler, top the luminaries, but do not extinguish the 
stars? a third called out. 

" ' Give me the yellow powder, I want to fire a cannon? 
said the D. G. M. 

" 'Rough ashlar here,' a Brother demanded. 

" 'Remove this platform ; 8 it is in my way,' shouted an 
obese Brother, from whose brow the perspiration fell in 
a copious shower, while he transferred the choicest of 
the materials from the workshop to his stomach; in the 
perpetration of which he evinced a pertinacity that 
displayed a mechanic perfect in the art. 

" 'Bro. Sequiera, do be so obliging as to favour me 
with that barrel of strong powder? said Bro. Duncker- 
ley. 

8 See the Historical Landmarks, vol. ii., p. 101, for an explanation 
of these terms. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 1G1 

" i Change this knife and fork,' shouted a Brother from 
the West, 

There was a dead silence ! ! ! 

###### 

"'A fine! a fine!' said the Chairman. 'Who's the 
delinquent?' 

"He was soon discovered; the fine satisfied; and the 
supper proceeded through its courses, as suppers gener- 
ally do, until the rage of hunger was appeased. Then 
the previous sounds, like the sudden subsidence of a 
hurricane, diminished into a peaceful stillness, inter- 
rupted only by an indistinct murmur of voices, as adjacent 
Brethren conversed together in whispers. The closing 
Grace was then delivered: — 

" i God be praised! Thou hast thought on us this day 
also ! Be praised for this day's blessings. Oh, protect us 
Fatherly, according to thy grace and power, in happiness and 
in sorrow, in all our ways, and bless this night.'' 

After this thanksgiving, the barrels, amply provided 
with strong and fulminating powder, were duly arranged ; 
the cannons were set in order; the battle began in good 
earnest; and Bro. Smith proved himself to be an expe- 
rienced commander. 

" The R. W. M. issued his orders, that the cannons 
should be charged in line, and each placed in advance of 
the tyle. He then gave one report, and proposed the 
first toast, 

" 'The King, God bless him!' 

" One stroke with the gavel, and the Brethren rose to 
their feet. 

'"To arms! 

'"Advance your cannons! 

" 'Discharge your cannons by three! .. 

'"Fire! 

'"Good fire! 

'"Fire all! Quick! 

" ' Ground your arms ! 
" ' Advance your swords ! 
" ' Poise your swords ! 
"'Salute with swords! 

"'Swords at rest!' 

"Acclamations, three times repeated. 



162 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"I could tell you," continued the Square, " what toasts 
were drank, what songs were sung, and what speeches 
were made (though there was very little speechifying — 
it was all a running conversation, sparkling with wit 
and good humour), but the detail would not advance my 
design in communicating to you the peculiarities of 
masonic custom in the eighteenth century. It is true, 
the above ceremonies cannot be fairly classed amongst 
the legitimate usages of English Masonry, because they 
were practised only by a few eccentric Masters, whose 
popularity would bear them out in, what may be termed, 
an innovation. But they were occasionally sanctioned 
by the presence of the best and gravest of Masons in the 
land. The carnivals of our Brethren in Scotland at the 
same period, were generally enlivened by a game of 
High Jinks. 9 On the continent the above customs were 
absolutely enjoined as an indispensable part of the system, 

9 Which I take the liberty of describing by an extract from Bro. 
Sir Walter Scott's "Guy Mannering" (vol. iv., p. 56, Ed. 1825). 
" Mr. Pleydell was a lively, sharp-looking gentleman, with a profes- 
sional shrewdness in his eye, and, generally speaking, a professional 
formality in his manners. But this, like his three-tailed wig and 
black coat, he could slip off on a Saturday evening, when surrounded 
by a party of jolly companions, and disposed for what he called alti- 
tudes. Upon the present occasion, the revel had lasted since four 
o'clock, and, at length, under the direction of a venerable compotator, 
who had shared the sports and festivity of three generations, the 
frolicsome company had begun to practise the ancient and now for- 
gotten pastime of High Jinks. This game was played in several 
different ways. Most frequently the dice were thrown by the com- 
pany, and those upon whom the lot fell, were obliged to assume and 
maintain, for a time, a certain fictitious character, or to repeat a 
certain number of fescennine verses in a particular order. If they 
departed from the characters assigned, or if their memory proved 
treacherous in the repetition, they incurred forfeits, which were either 
compounded for by swallowing an additional bumper, or by paying a 
small sum towards the reckoning. At this sport the jovial company 
were closely set when Mannering entered the room. Mr. Counsellor 
Pleydell, such as we have described him, was enthroned as a monarch, 
in an elbow-chair, placed on the dining-table, his scratch wig ou one 
side, his head crowned with a bottle- slider, his eye leering with an 
expression betwixt fun and the effects of wine, while his court around 
him resounded with such crambo scraps of verse as these : — 

Where is Gerunto now ? and what's become of him? 
Gerunto's dead, because he could not swim, &c, &c. 

Such, Themis, were anciently the sports of thy Scottish chil- 
dren!" 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 163 

and were consequently exercised in every foreign Lodge. 
In the Adoptive system, the lady Masons fell cheerfully 
into the scheme, and during their hours of relaxation, 
practised the following formula. The Lodge was called 
Eden; the degrees, a ladder; the door, a barrier; the 
glasses, lamps; wine, red oil; water, white oil; bottles, 
pitchers, &c. And they applied it thus : Trim your lamps, 
meant fill your glasses ; drinking was termed, snvff your 
lamps ; fire, lift up by five,™ &c. But to return. 

"The evening passed away as most convivial evenings 
do pass, although with a little more license than is cus- 
tomary with you, for there was a freedom in the enjoy- 
ments of that period which is now unknown. Song, 
toast, and repartee constituted the staple of the enter- 
tainment. The following chorus was sung by all the 
Brethren present more than once; and the convivialities 
terminated at Low Twelve with the National Anthem. 

' He that will not merry merry be, 
With a generous bowl and a toast, 
May he in Bridewell be shut up, 
And fast bound to a post. 

' Let him be merry merry there, 
And we'll be merry merry here ; 
For who can know where we shall go 
To be merry another year 1 

' He that will not merry merry be, 

And take his glass in course, 
May he be obliged to drink small beer, 

Ne'er a penny in his purse. 
' Let him be merry, &c. 

' He that will not merry merry be, 
With a company of jolly boys, 
May he be plagued with a scolding wife 
To confound him with her noise. 
'Let him be merry, &c.' 

" During the presidency of Capt. Smith, it was in the 
gloomy month of November, and the very Lodge which 
succeeded the above gala, if my memory does not deceive 
me," continued my amusing companion, " he opened the 
proceedings with peculiar gravity, and I was certain 
something extraordinary had occurred to disquiet his 
mind. Accordingly, after the usual routine of business 
had been disposed of, my anticipations were amply veri- 

10 Vid. Hist. Landm., p. 111. 



164 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

fied; for lie made a communication which was received 
by the Brethren with displeasure and regret. He told 
the Lodge that he had received a letter from a Brother at 
Aix-la-Chapelle, informing him that the Fraternity were 
jriacecl in a situation of great difficulty and danger by the 
denunciations of the priests ; and imploring advice and 
assistance from the English Craft. 'It appears,' he 
added, 'that they have been denounced from the altar 
under the character of villains, cut-throats, sorcerers, 
and incarnate fiends ; and one of the priests, whose name 
is Louis Grumman, assured his hearers that fire from 
heaven, like that which destroyed the cities of the plain, 
in the days of Abraham and Lot, would soon descend to 
exterminate these imps of darkness for similar crimes. 

"' These denunciations,' he continued, 'produced such 
a powerful effect ou the populace, that every person 
who is suspected of being a member of the gentle Craft, 
is greeted in the public streets with hootings, yells, and 
execrations ; pelted with mud and stones, and otherwise 
so grossly insulted that the Masons are afraid to proceed 
about their usual business, lest they should become the 
victims of a blind bigotry, which, like its author, goes 
about seeking whom it may devour; for the priests had 
threatened every person with excommunication who 
should consort with them, lodge them, or afford them 
any countenance whatever.' 

" There was a solemn silence in the Lodge for some 
minutes' duration," said the Square, "after this afflicting 
intelligence had been communicated ; when Bro. Row- 
land Holt, the D. Gr. M., rose, and said that he had 
received an official document on the same subject, with 
these additional particulars; that the chief magistrate of 
Aix-la-Chapelle, under the pretext of appeasing the 
priests, had promulgated the Pope's mandate against 
Freemasonry, which denounced the severest penalties on 
all persons who should either attend a Lodge, or favour 
the Fraternity in the slightest degree. This increased 
the evil; for the priest, instead of being appeased, 
launched his fulminations with additional fury, and 
excited the people to madness, by rushing through the 
streets, crucifix in hand, and conjuring them, by that 
holy symbol, to assist him in the extirpation of those 
devils in human shape, who were the enemies and 
scourge of Christianity, and under the immediate con- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 165 

demnation of God. 11 Bro. Holt announced his intention 
of bringing these untoward circumstances under the con- 
sideration of the Grand Lodge, although he expressed 
his doubts whether that body would be induced to inter- 
fere, in the absence of any competent authority to render 
its mediation efficacious. 

"During Ca.pt. Smith's Mastership," the Square con- 
tinued, "the celebrated masonic impostor, Balsamo, or, 
as he styled himself, Count Cagliostro, flourished. He 
had already attempted to make London the scene of his 
charlataneries, but without success. His revelations 
respecting the Egyptian Masonry, which you will not 
forget was Androgyne, were - discredited, and he was 
obliged to return to the place from whence he came. On 
the continent he was more successful, and found many 
credulous and munificent patrons. His pretensions, how- 
ever, becoming at length suspected, he resolved once 
more to try his fortune in the English metropolis; and 
he inserted a public circular in the 'Morning Herald,' 
dated Nov. 1, 1786, in which he proposed to introduce 
into England his new system of Masonry, and invited 

11 These outrages happened in the eighteenth century, when the 
majority of the people of every nation in Europe were without the 
advantage of education. But what are we to think of the following 
denunciation, pronounced ex cathedra by a Komish Archbishop, in 
the month of November, 185 i — the age of schools and colleges, and 
mental culture? "Let me admonish you again, as I have done 
before," says the Archbishop, in his celebrated Pastoral, "both by 
word and in writing, that nothing can be more fatal to charity than 
those secret societies which have been unhappily projected through- 
out many parts of Ireland. I have before declared to you — and I 
beg of the clergy in every parish to repeat the admonition continu- 
ally — that all those who are banded together by oath in those wicked 
societies, under whatever name they may be called, and, also, all 
Catholics who join in the Society of Freemasonry, are subjected to 
the penalty of excommunication ; cut off as rotten branches from the 
Church of God, and if they die in this deplorable state, doomed to 
eternal perdition. It is a sad calamity that a system so pernicious 
in its effects, and so hostile to Christian charity, should be tolerated 
or encouraged in any district. Paul Cullen, Archbishop and 
Primate of all Ireland." I would ask Primate Cullen how it 
happens that, after such a display of virtuous indignation against 
Freemasonry as a secret society, he should give a tacit approbation, 
by preserving a mysterious silence on the subject, to the Vehme 
G-erichte of Eibbonism, whose infamous emissaries are spread over 
the whole face of the land, and commit assassinations with perfect 
impunity. 

12 



166 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the Craft to meet him for that purpose. It was thus 
expressed : — 

" ' To all True Masons. In the name Jehovah. The 
time is at length arrived for the construction of the New 
Temple of Jerusalem. The advertiser invites all True 
Masons to meet him on the 3rd instant, at nine o'clock, 
at Keilly's Tavern, Great Queen Street, to form a plan 
for levelling the foot-stone of the true and only Temple 
in the visible world.' 

" It so happened," said the Square, " that our Lodge 
met on the evening of the day when the above advertise- 
ment was inserted ; and it was publicly read by the R. 
W. M., who observed that the matter was warmly taken 
up by all the Brethren with whom he had conversed ; 
and after some deliberation, it was finally agreed that a 
deputation should be appointed to meet him at the time 
and place indicated, which should consist of all the' lead- 
ing Members of the Lodge, and it was expected that 
many other Brethren would be present, which proved to 
be the case. 

"Cagliostro was a man of good address, and of un- 
bounded assurance. 12 He exhibited all the cunning he 

12 The following list of the works published by and respecting this 
impostor may be acceptable. " Opissanie prebivwania w' Mitawe is 
westnaho Kaliostro na 1779 god." 1788. " Fru von der Eecke 
Berattelse om Cagliostro's magiske Forsook uti Mitau 1779." Stock- 
holm, 1793. "Cagliostro demasque a Varsovie, ou relation authen- 
tique de ses operations alchimiques et magiques, faites dans cette 
capitale en 1780. Par un temoin oculaire." Lausanne, 1786. "Le 
Charlatan demasque, ou les aventures et exploits du Comte de 
Cagliostro, precede d'une lettre de M. Le Comte de Mirabeau." 
Francfort, 1786. " Des Grafen Mirabeau Schreiben uber Lavater und 
Cagliostro." Leipzig, 1786. "Confession du Comte de Cagliostro, 
avec 1'histoire de ses voyages en Russie, &c." Cairo, 1787. "Memo- 
ria sulla dimora del Signor Cagliostro in Roveredo. In Italia, 1789 
Liber memorialis de Caleostro dum esset Roborati. L'arrivee du 
fameux Cagliostro, 1789." "Compendio della vita e delle geste di 
Giuseppe Balsamo, denominate il Comte Cagliostro, che si e estratto 
dal processo contro di lui formate in Roma, l'anno 1790. In Roma, 
nella Stampcria della Rev. Camera Apost. 1791." "Vie de Joseph 
Balsamo, connu sous le nom de Comte Cagliostro, extraite de la pro- 
cedure instruite contre lui a Rome, en 1790." Paris et Strasbourg, 
1791. " Testament de mort, et declarations faites par Cagliostro, de 
la secte des Illumines, et se disant chef de la Loge Egyptienne, con- 
damne a Rome." Paris, 1791. "Life of Count Cagliostro, with his 
Trial before the Inquisition for being a Freemason." London, 1791. 
These are only a few of the works which were published, particularly 
in Germany, respecting this very clever and successful impostor. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 167 

was master of, propounded his plan in a flourishing 
speech, boasted of his knowledge of the hermetic science, 
the philosopher's stone, and elixir of life ; referred to the 
Czarina and the Grand Sultan as his most eminent 
patrons, extolled his researches into futurity, through the 
medium of animal magnetism, and exhibited a variety of 
legerdemain tricks in proof of the extraordinary powers 
conferred by his system of Masonry, which imposed on a 
few Members of the deputation, and astonished others. 
But he had encountered talent superior to his own, and 
in the end he was effectually exposed, and obliged to 
leave the country. His life was afterwards published, 
his schemes were laid bare, and he came to an untimely 
end." 



168 



CHAPTER X. 

SECRETS. JOHN N00RTH0UCK. 

1785—1790. 



"A large man he -was with eyen stepe, 
A fairer burgeis is ther non in Chepe. 
Bold of his speche, and wise, and wel y taught, 
And of manhood him lacked righte naught. 1 ' 

Chaucer. 

"All the plans of Freemasonry are pacific. It co-operates with 
our blessed religion in regulating the tempers, restraining the passions, 
sweetening the dispositions, and harmonizing the discordant interests 
of men ; breathes a spirit of universal love and benevolence ; adds one 
thread more to the silken cord of evangelical charity which binds man 
to man ; and seeks to entwine the cardinal virtues and Christian 
graces in the web of the affections, and the drapery of the con- 
duct." — Harris. 

"Writers on Masonry, by the overwarmth of their zeal,' are some- 
times betrayed into the use of hyperbolical epithets, and superfluous 
effusions of panegyric on particular occasions, that to readers, who 
are not of the Fraternity, appear extravagant, and, of course, counter- 
act their intention. If our Institution be of a laudable nature, there 
is less occasion to arrogate the reward of praise to ourselves ; for so 
long as a tree is known by its fruits, the world will do us justice." — 
NOORTHOUCK. 



" I am old enough to remember the celebrateed Dean 
Swift," continued the Square, in that agreeable, gos- 
sipping tone to which I had become accustomed, " and I 
think I have already alluded to a humorous effusion of his 
spleen against the Order in which I have the honour to 
be the representative of justice and equality. But it is 
not my present intention to refer to that exquisite pro- 
duction of his satirical genius. He wrote a book to which 
he prefixed the ludicrous title of A Tale of a Tub, which 
gave mighty offence to his superiors, although I really do 
not know why it should have had that effect — they did 
not understand it, perhaps — in which, amongst other 
severe hits at his own, as well as other churches, he 
represents John Calvin as saying, in reference to his 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 169 

father's will, i. e., the Bible, l Gentlemen, I will prove this 

very skin of parchment to be meat, drink, and clothes; to be 
the philosopher's stone, and the universal medicine. In con- 
sequence of which raptures, he resolved to make use of it 
in the most necessary, as well as the most paltry occasions 
of life. He had a way of working it into any shape he 
pleased, so that it served him for a nightcap when he 
went to bed, and for an umbrella in rainy weather. He 
would lap a piece of it about a sore toe ; or when he had 
fits, burn two inches under his nose ; or if anything lay 
heavy on his stomach, scrape off and swallow as much of 
the powder as would lie on a silver penny. They were 
all infallible remedies.' 

"You will not fail to perceive," said the Square, " that 
there is an abundance of matter for reflection in the 
above passage. It conveys the intelligible moral, that 
our First Great Light contains a present remedy for 
every affliction incident to the lot of man. And as a 
curious coincidence, I must further inform you that I 
once heard Bro. Preston make a similar remark respecting 
the universal application of Fremasonry ; not in the same 
words, I admit, for they are widely different, but convey- 
ing precisely the same meaning. ' Masonry,' he said, 
'gives real and intrinsic excellency to man, and renders 
him fit for the duties of society. It strengthens the 
mind against the storms of life, paves the way to peace, 
and promotes domestic happiness. It meliorates the 
temper, and improves the understanding ; it is company 
in solitude, and gives vivacity, variety, and energy to 
social conversation. In youth, it governs the passions, 
and employs usefully our most active faculties ; and in 
age, when sickness, imbecility, and disease have humbled 
the corporeal frame, and rendered the union of soul and 
body almost intolerable, it yields an ample fund of com- 
fort and satisfaction.' 

" I submit to your consideration," the Square continued, 
"whether this character of Masonry is not indelible, and 
of universal application in all cases and circumstances of 
life, whether of prosperity or adversity. Speak not !" he 
continued, seeing I was about to reply to his appeal — 
"answer not! Be dumb, or you will make me so! and 
I will communicate a very interesting disputation that 
once occurred in our Lodge, which will abundantly esta- 



170 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

blish the truth of the above text. It added consi- 
derably to the reputation that Bro. Noorthouck, our 
new R. W. M., had already attained by the publication 
of his additions to Anderson's History of Masonry. 

"Now, I consider it necessary," said the Master's 
Jewel, " to correct, in limine, any misconception which 
may have arisen in your mind respecting this eminent 
Brother, from the part he took in the dispute between 
Bro. Preston and the Grand Lodge. His conduct on that 
occasion, I freely admit, was open to censure; but all 
men are liable to view things in a distorted light when 
their amour projjre is attacked. Such was the case with 
Bro. Noorthouck. Notwithstanding this, he was a clever 
and intelligent man, and an expert Mason; and his elec- 
tion to the chair of our Lodge was not only unanimous, 
but carried by acclamation. The Members were glad to 
enrol on their list of Masters the historian of Masonry 
during the zenith of his popularity. 

" Bro. Preston, as I have already communicated to you, 
was under a cloud; but his Lectures w^ere silently making 
their way amongst the Fraternity, and Bro. Noorthouck 
was not backward in doing them ample justice, as will 
be seen by the scientific conversation or dispute, as it 
may be more properly denominated, between himself and 
Bro. Mackintosh, on certain particulars which were at 
that time rejected by the cowan, and considered ques- 
tionable even by some few imperfectly instructed Masons. 
Bro. Mackintosh was a literary man, and not over fond of 
Masonry at that time ; but the arguments of the P. W. M. 
were so effective, that he subsequently renounced his 
errors, and became a useful and honoured Member of the 
gentle Craft. 

"It so happened," said the Square, "that Bro. Mack- 
intosh, who was desirous of testing the actual literary 
capabilities of Masonry, had made a motion, a few nights 
after Bro. Noorthouck had been installed, to the effect 
that in future it should be imperative on the H. W. M., for 
the time being, to deliver an original Lecture on any import- 
ant subject connected with the Degree in which the Lodge 
shall be open, at least once in every quarter ; and on that 
night no other business shall be transacted. The motion was 
duly seconded ; and after considerable discussion, was 
negatived by a large majority. 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 171 

" When Bro. Mackintosh next appeared in his place, 
which was not until three or four months after his mo- 
tion had been defeated, there happened to be no business 
of any importance on the books, and the R. W. M. took the 
opportunity of asking him whether he was correct in 
supposing that he had expressed an opinion at a previous 
Lodge, that Freemasonry is a very frivolous pursuit, and 
unworthy the profession of a gentleman and a scholar. 

" ' You have construed my observation correctly,' Bro 
Mackintosh replied, 'for I have hitherto found nothing in 
Masonry which appears to be worthy of the great interest 
it has excited, or which offers an adequate return for the 
time and expense that are often devoted to its exemplifi- 
cation by some of our Brethren, from whose judgment 
and intelligence in other matters I should have expected 
better things.' 

" ' And yet,' the R. W. M. quietly observed, 'you have 
attended the Lodge with tolerable regularity. How can 
this be accounted for, if you do not approve of our pro- 
ceedings?' 

" ' Why, the fact is,' he said, kindly, 'that myself, and 
a few other Brethren who entertain similar opinions, have 
made a point of attending out of respect to our late R. 
W. M. and yourself. We are convinced that you both 
believe Freemasonry to contain something more than 
appears on the surface ; and we are willing to assist you 
in the development of your own principles, in the hope 
that we may ultimately discover what those principles 
are, and share with you in the benefits which they pro- 
fessedly confer. We believe that we may possibly be 
able, at some future time, to penetrate the mystery, 
although I am free to confess that we have very little 
hope of participating in the enthusiasm which you so 
uniformly display.' 

" ' It was on this account that I was desirous of coming 
to an explanation with you,' returned the R. W. M. ; ' for, 
as it is unprofitable to fight with shadows, I am extreme- 
ly anxious to learn the nature of the objections which 
are urged by those Brethren who act with you, and who 
form a small minority in the Lodge ; and should be glad 
to know the peculiar causes of the disappointment of 
which you complain, that I may have an opportunity of 
endeavouring to remove them.' 



172 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

'"A. fair proposal,' Bro. Mackintosh rejoined, 'and I 
most gratefully accept it." 

"The Brethren, you may be certain, were very atten- 
tive," said the Square, "for a masonic discussion between 
two such men was likely to prove exceedingly interest- 
ing. Bro. Mackintosh then stated his objections seriatim. 

" 'In the first place,' he said, 'we are dissatisfied with 
the Lectures; and are somewhat at a loss to discover 
their real object and tendency. Vapid and uninteresting 
in our view of the case, they appear incapable of exciting 
either a desire of knowledge, or an inclination to pursue 
investigations which are so feebly recommended, so im- 
perfectly supported, and lead to no profitable result. 
They profess to explain our peculiar ceremonies, but 
they are too circumscribed to render the explanation 
satisfactory. They touch on an abundance of subjects, 
but always leave the inquirer in the dark. They excite 
expectations which are never realized ; and, after having 
been at the trouble of sifting them completely, and come 
to county the gains, we scarcely find a single grain of 
wheat in a whole bushel of chaff.' 

" 'I am sorry to find that you have formed such a low 
estimate of our excellent Lodge Lectures,' said Bro. 
Noorthouck. * You forget that they are merely elemen- 
tary. They were never intended to include a full develop- 
ment of the system. They breathe the fresh air of the 
most early ages, and contain the essence of those pure 
principles which cemented our ancient Brethren, and 
gave them the influence they undoubtedly possessed over 
the uncultivated spirits of the age in which they lived. 
And in every instance where the Lectures are deficient 
in modern illustration, it is the admitted duty of the 
Master of the Lodge to amplify and explain the more 
occult passages, and impart to the Brethren that com- 
plete instruction and information which may supply what 
is wanting, and make difficult and doubtful references 
clear and satisfactory.' 

"'There may be something in this,' Bro. Mackintosh 
replied ; ' and, accordingly, whenever you have announced 
an intention of delivering an original Lecture on some 
particular symbol or portion of the ritual, you may have 
remarked that the Lodge is always well attended ; but it 
occurs so seldom, that we do not derive much benefit 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 173 

from the practice. Indeed, what with our numerous 
initiations, parsings, raisings, and other routine business, 
I scarcely see how you can find time to repeat them 
more frequently. Now, as we have the Lectures tolera- 
bly well up, we cannot but consider our attendance at 
the Lodge, on ordinary occasions, little better. than a 
waste of time, because we merely reiterate, parrot-like, 
certain words and forms with which we are well ac- 
quainted, and with but very slender prospects of in- 
creasing our masonic knowledge. It was for this reason 
that I submitted my motion at a late Lodge, which you 
defeated by a majority that gave great umbrage and 
dissatisfaction to many worthy Brethren who entertain 
the same opinions as myself.' 

"'My dear friend,' said the E. W. M., 'you could not 
surely conceive that I would allow such a measure to 
become a standing law of the Lodge ; it would not only 
increase the onerous nature of the duties attached to the 
chair, but prove a serious obstruction to business. These 
duties are plainly specified in the Constitutions of Ma- 
sonry and the Bye-Laws of the Lodge, and the Brethren 
are incapable of imposing any additional restrictions on 
the chair, without an alteration of those Laws. This 
cannot be effected by the simple vote of a private Lodge. 
Place a notice on the books for a revision of the Bye- 
Laws, if you please ; but you will not forget that all 
new regulations must be submitted to the approval of 
the Grand Master; and I have serious doubts, even if 
you succeeded in obtaining a majority of votes for that 
purpose, whether such a law as you contemplate would 
pass the ordeal.' 

" 'Then throw Masonry to the dogs — I'll none on't!' 
replied Bro. Mackintosh, petulantly; 'the Lodge Lec- 
tures are but chaff and bran, and of very little value.' 

"'You forget, my dear Brother,' interposed the K. W. 
M., ' that the Lectures only profess to teach the elements 
of the science. You appear to view our ancient Lec- 
tures through a false and uncertain medium, like a modern 
freethinker. If you wish to penetrate into its more 
abstruse arcana, you must meditate with seriousness and 
attention on the several sections and clauses, for no art or 
mystery can be attained by a mere knowledge of its first 
rudiments. All human learning emanates from the 



174 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

alphabet, but you will not contend that an acquaintance 
with the alphabet alone will make you a wise or learned 
man. The elements of divinity are contained in the short 
catechism of the Church, but if your researches are not 
extended beyond that summary of the Christian religion, 
you will never become a sound divine. In like manner, 
the Lodge Lectures contain the leading principles of 
Masonry ; but without something more than a mere 
verbal knowledge of these indispensable tests, you will 
never be esteemed a bright, expert, or scientific Mason.' 

"'This may be all very true,' said Bro. Mackintosh, 
'but if we waive this objection, which, I am free to 
confess, is not insuperable, still the general drift of the 
Institution is a mystery which I am not able to pene- 
trate.' 

'" Be it my province to enlighten you,' Bro. Noorth- 
ouck replied. ' You profess your ignorance of the real 
intention of Masonry ; I am sorry for it. Surely you 
must have gathered from the Lectures, that one of its 
most important objects is to diffuse amongst mankind a 
universal principle of brotherly love and mutual good- 
will, accompanied by a discriminating application of 
charity to worthy and deserving persons, when reduced 
by unmerited misfortune to distress and indigence — first, 
to the Fraternity, and then to all mankind. If these 
were our sole pursuits, Freemasonry, so far from being 
trifling and frivolous, as you and your friends appear in- 
clined to think, is worthy of the patronage and support 
of the wise and good amongst every denomination of 
Christians. You remember the paragraph in our Lodge 
Lectures which illustrates the principle of universal 
charity ? Very well ; if there be any truth in that, 
Freemasonry cannot be surpassed by any other beneficent 
institution.' 

" ' I am well acquainted with the passage to which 
you refer,' Bro. Mackintosh observed, ' and as I have 
often witnessed its active operation, I am willing to con- 
cede that, in this respect, Freemasonry professes no more 
than she practises ; and I make this concession the more 
readily from the knowledge which I possess of our public 
institutions — where a princely provision has been made 
for the permanent relief of destitute orphans, as well as 
for the temporary assistance of distressed Brethren. But 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE 175 

still all this might be done without any affectation of 
secrecy ; for, after all, our real, or, as you would say, 
peculiar secrets amount to nothing, and might be com- 
municated to the world without any serious inconveni- 
ence — without, I may say, either injury to Masonry, or 
benefit to mankind.' 

" ' So,' Bro. Noorthouck exclaimed, ' you are offended 
at our secrecy ! But, tell me — what would Freemasonry 
be — what would the world be, without its secrets ? 
What are the councillor's wig, the physician's gold- 
headed cane, and the surplice and hood of the reverend 
divine, but secret symbols of the mysteries contained in 
those learned professions ? What are the arts of the 
painter, the sculptor, and the designer, but secrets which 
none but the initiated can understand ? And to descend 
lower in the scale, what are the goose and thimble of the 
tailor, the awl, last, and end of the manufacturer of boots 
and shoes, but collateral emblems of the secrets of their 
respective crafts, which neither you nor I are able to 
penetrate? Secrets! Every profession and every trade 
has its peculiar secrets, as well as Masonry. What was 
the powerful cause which produced those stupendous 
masses of building, blazing with all the rich results of 
decorative architecture, that adorn every corner of our 
land ? It was secrecy ! The Operative Masons, in those 
days, adopted every secret measure — even holding their 
Lodges in the crypts of cathedrals and churches — to pre- 
vent the great principles of their science, by which their 
reputation was secured and maintained, from being pub- 
licly known. Even the workmen, the Apprentices and 
Fellowcrafts, were unacquainted with the secret and re- 
fined mechanism which cemented and imparted the trea- 
sures of wisdom to the expert masters of the art. They 
were profoundly ignorant of the wisdom which planned, 
the beauty which designed, and knew only the strength 
and labour which executed the work. The pressure and 
counterpressure of complicated arches was a secret which 
the inferior workmen never attempted to penetrate. 
They were blind instruments in the hands of intelligent 
Master Masons, and completed the most sublime under- 
takings by the effect of mere mechanical and physical 
power, without being able to comprehend the secret that 
produced them ; without understanding the nice adjust- 



176 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ment of the members of a building to eacli other, so ne- 
cessary to accomplish a striking and permanent effect, or 
without being able to enter into the science exhibited in 
the complicated details which were necessary to form a 
harmonious and proportionate whole. And so it is at 
the present day, and ever will be so long as the Craft 
shall endure. No, no, my dear Brother, you must not 
undervalue our secrecy, because you know that of all the 
arts which Masons possess, silence or secrecy constitutes 
their peculiar distinction.' 

" ' But tell me this,' said Bro. Mackintosh, ' of what 
real use is secrecy ? If Freemasonry be truly the bene- 
ficent institution which you so loudly proclaim, and I do 
not question your sincerity, why not promulgate it pub- 
licly, that all mankind may participate in its advantages ? 
We live in an enlightened age, when the secret springs 
of every art and science are clearly explained for public 
edification. The day of mysteries is rapidly passing away, 
and Freemasonry must, sooner or later, become a subject 
of open investigation — why not anticipate the period, and 
give it to the people at once ? I ask these questions that 
I may be furnished with a reply when I hear them 
pressed by others. You may believe me when I add that 
this objection is more frequently advanced than you can 
imagine, and I confess that I have found it difficult to 
satisfy the scruples of many of my uninitiated friends, 
who have pertinaciously urged it upon me. 

'"Is that all V replied the E. W. M. ' Then I will 
endeavour to enlighten you ; although I have often re- 
gretted that some of our obstinate opponents have not 
tried the experiment of initiation. They would lose 
nothing, at all events; and it would be a positive advan- 
tage to their argument by being able to speak from 
experience. But to the purpose. You infer, if I under- 
stand you rightly, that if our secrets were known, they 
would be much more highly estimated.' 

" Bro. Mackintosh bowed. 

" ' Now I entertain very serious doubts on that point,' 
continued Bro. Noorthouck, warming with his subject. 
' 1 think, on the contrary, that they would lose their 
interest, and not be prized at all. It is the expected 
secret that urges the candidate forward, like a well 
trained spaniel in search of game. The excitement 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 177 

is every thing. It is hope, the very ground and 
essence of our nature. No secrets, no candidates ! 
I would ask you, in return, whether the secrets 
of Nature are more estimated by being known? Far 
from it. The mechanism of the growth of a flower, 
which was a profound secret to our grandfathers, is now 
becoming familiar to every boarding-school Miss. The 
nature and uses of electricity were a secret, until Frank- 
lin furnished mankind with a key to its elucidation ; and 
the day will come when, by the operation of a series of 
discoveries and improvements, distant nations will be 
able to communicate with each other in an incredible 
short space of time. The secrets of geology are every 
day becoming more clearly developed. Gas and steam, 
those vast and irresistible agents, still remain amongst 
the secret operations of Nature ; but, depend upon it, the 
experience of another age will work wonders upon them. 
Yet how few of the human race care about the study of 
those sciences, whose secrets, open to all, are really 
known to few, although destined to confer permanent 
benefits on mankind. The multitude profit by the effect, 
but disregard the cause. So in Masonry. The Institu- 
tion is daily bestowing innumerable moral blessings on 
the world ; while the cause, or the secret, is known only 
to a very small number, who are the agents by whom its 
benefits are disseminated. But as I see Bro. Inwood in 
his place, he will, perhaps, favour the Brethren with his 
opinion on this important subject.' 

"Bro. Inwood," said the Square, "immediately rose 
from his seat, and said, ' R. W. Sir, I am so well con- 
vinced of your ability to defend all the salient points of 
our Order, that I should not have presumed to offer my 
opinion without a call from the Chair. In obedience, 
however, to your request, I will refer you to Holy Writ 
for a confirmation of your hypothesis that secrets excite 
a degree of attention when unknown, which vanishes 
when they are openly divulged. St. Paul told his dis- 
ciples that when he was snatched up into the third 
heaven, he heard wispeaJcable words, which it was not 
lawful for a man to utter. Now it is quite clear to me 
that these words were calculated to excite the curiosity 
of the disciples to the highest pitch. And that they did 
so, we are furnished with abundaut evidence to prove. 



178 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

The speculations on these heavenly words were incessant 
and overwhelming, and the disciples of different classes 
attributed to them diverse and contradictory explana- 
tions. But it appears, after all, that the Sacred Name 
mm was the principal ingredient in this impenetrable 
secret. Now, my Brethren, mark the consequence ; when 
St. John imparted to them what these mysterious words 
actually were, all their curiosity subsided, and they no 
longer felt any interest in the investigation, although it 
involved the solution of all their hopes, both in this 
world and in the next. So of the secrets of Masonry — 
many contradictory speculations have been urged respect- 
ing their nature and design, as witness all the charlatan- 
arie which has been greedily devoured by the public in 
spurious revelations where they were said to be disclosed ; 
but if they were really made known, and public curiosity 
allayed, they would be disregarded, like those stupendous 
phenomena, the revolutions and laws of the heavenly 
bodies ; and all the concurrent benefits which they diffuse 
throughout the entire fabric of society, would gradually 
subside ; the real w^ould supersede the ideal, and Free- 
masonry, with all its advantages of sociality, brotherly 
love, and charity, would be swallowed up and lost.' 

" ' Admitting this argument to be sound,' said Bro. 
Mackintosh, curtly, 'how does it happen that the most 
lovely part of our species are formally excluded from 
these benefits?' 

"'Aye, there it is,' replied Bro. Noorthouck, getting 
somewhat out of patience ; 'the old hackneyed objec- 
tion, if objection it be, which is greatly to be doubted. 
It would be more correctly termed a recommendation. 
What do the ladies care about being excluded from con- 
vivial societies, usually held at taverns and public-houses? 
The exclusion on their part is voluntary. What lady — 
except, perhaps, the ladies of the jpave — would consent 
to appear amongst the members of a law or medical 
society for instance? at a saturnalia of barristers, or at 
any of our well-frequented clubs ? Even at a domestic 
dinner party, her sense of delicacy incites her to retire 
to the drawing-room, while the male portion of the 
guests take their wine with the host. Where is the 
female of any class that would not be ashamed of being 
seen amongst the Gormagons, the Pre-adamites, the 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 179 

Grand Kaiheber, or amy other of the legion of convivial 
societies which exist in this great metropolis, carousing 
with the members in an atmosphere redolent of the 
fumes of beer and tobacco ? Pshaw ! any decent female 
would revolt from such indelicate contamination; and 
the simple proposition of such a degrading exposure of 
her person, would be considered the highest insult you 
could offer. No, sir,' he continued, ' the ladies would 
hate us if we were to insist on their company at the 
Lodge. I admit that, a few years ago, certain empirical 
works on Masonry were read with avidity by a certain 
class of females on the continent, w T ho were anxious to 
penetrate the great secret, if possible, without regard to 
the means; and there was even an androgyne Order 
formed for the admission of women ; and the excitement 
was kept up by means of balls, feasts, and other amuse- 
ments; but few were found to embrace the offer of 
becoming acquainted with the secret by such unauthorized 
practices.' 

" ' There may be something in w T hat you say,' replied 
Bro. Mackintosh, ' for I confess that although I have fre- 
quently heard my female acquaintances say that they 
are dying to know the secret, I never perceived any 
anxiety on their part to mix with the members of the 
Lodge. And certainly our late experiment of a masonic 
ball, in imitation of the example afforded by our con- 
tinental Brethren and Sisters of the Adoptive Lodge's, 
which I implicitly believed would have the effect of con- 
ciliating our female friends, and inducing a more favour- 
able opinion of our pursuits, was a decided failure ; for 
we were not honoured with the presence of any ladies 
of good standing in society ; which rather favours your 
hypothesis that they have no particular anxiety to 
assemble in our Lodges, or share in our festive celebra- 
tions.' 

" ' I am glad to hear,' Bro. Noorthouck replied, ' that 
you think these pollutions (for I cannot give masonic 
dancings a more favourable designation) are alien to the 
principles of the Craft; because, you were one of the 
parties who forced our late masonic ball upon me. But 
I hope you will do me the justice to admit that I opposed 
it to the utmost, as an unmasonic proceeding ; and only 
gave way in compliance with the decision of a majority 



180 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

of votes. But it would be a manifest injustice to charge 
the unhappy consequences of this disgraceful proceeding 
on Masonry, or to contend that the Order is responsible 
for the results of a false step taken in direct violation 
both of its principles and its laws. This ill-advised 
measure has caused divisions amongst ourselves which 
will be very difficult to heal, and pointed the finger of 
scorn against the Institution in a manner very little to 
its credit. In a word, every evil has occurred which I 
predicted, and several others, of which I never dreamed.' 

" ' On this point,' Bro. Mackintosh rejoined, ' we are 
now of one mind. Experience has convinced me that 
such celebrations are inexpedient, to say the least of 
them; and I intend to propose, at some early Lodge, 
that they be never repeated. I am quite sure that a 
majority of the Brethren will carry out the vote; for 
most of us are utterly disgusted with the result of the 
experiment.' 

" ' So truth prevails in the end,' the R. W..M. replied. 
* The charges of frivolity which are pertinaciously pre- 
ferred to the prejudice of our Institution by the outward 
world, the cowan, and the profane, are sufficiently 
numerous already ; let us not add to them by the adop- 
tion of an amusement which would give our adversaries 
all the advantage they require to turn the tide of popular 
feeling decidedly against us. It w T ould, indeed, afford a 
public confirmation of those vague reports which accuse 
us of frittering away our valuable time in a round of 
trifling and childish amusements, and devoting ourselves 
to the temptations of luxury, and the indulgence of 
sensual passions. Even Bro. Heidegger, the celebrated 
arbiter elegantiarum of fashion, the very prince- and high 
priest of saltation, and enjoying the favour of the mon- 
arch — at the moment of his greatest influence with his 
patron the Duke of Bichmond, the Grand Master of 
Masons, and intrusted with the sole arrangement of the 
Grand Lodge Festivals, would not have dared to venture 
on a proposition so hostile to the grave and serious prin- 
ciples of the Order as a masonic ball. Dancing is a 
solecism irreconcileable with any one point, part, or 
secret connected with the Institution. If once the Fra- 
ternity is so weak and inconsiderate as to give them- 
selves up to such frivolous and unworthy pursuits, they 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 181 

may bid farewell to Masonry ; and, uniting themselves 
with the ci-devant Gormagons, may dance under the 
green-wood tree.' 

" ' Your observations are perfectly correct,' said Bro. 
Franco, who rose the instant Bro. Noorthouck had 
resumed his chair, ' English Masonry knows nothing of 
a masonic ball. It is an exotic of foreign growth, and 
will never thrive on British soil. It may be in character 
with the continental Lodges of Adoption, which admit 
females to join in the celebration, but it can never pre- 
vail to any extent in a country where they are excluded 
on principle from participating in the privileges of the 
Order. Consider, R. W. Sir, the marked indelicacy of 
such a practice. The Apron is used as the emblem of 
separation between the intellectual and carnal portions 
of the human body ; and, therefore, when exhibited at a 
masonic ball, it affords (not to say invites) each lady, in 
a contre-dance, a favourable opportunity of calculating, 
with perfect accuracy, the exact point where the intel- 
lectual ends, and the carnal begins. In France this may 
not create an unfavourable sensation, because the morals 
of the people are becoming extremely lax ; but in 
England, where correctness of demeanour and rectitude 
of conduct are the sole credentials of admission into 
decent society, such an example is contaminating beyond 
all calculation. Good heavens ! is it possible that the 
Free and Accepted Mason can be found who is capable 
of subjecting the refined feelings of an English woman 
to the degradation of a scrutiny like this !' 

" Bro. Franco was warm," said the Square ; " but per- 
fectly correct. Freemasonry has no precedent for a 
masonic ball; and I confess I felt grieved when the 
experiment was determined on by the vote of a majority 
of the Brethren. Fortunately the attempt proved abor- 
tive, and was never repeated. To proceed. 

" 'Well,' Bro. Mackintosh quietly observed, 'nothing 
further need be said on the subject ; for the question will 
now be finally settled so far as regards the members of 
our Lodge. But you will not, I am afraid, so easily dis- 
pose of the objection, that the prayers of the Lodge are 
offered up without any reference to the Redeemer of 
mankind. As Christians, we cannot well understand 
how this omission has been suffered to exist for so many 
13 



182 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

centuries amongst those who profess themselves follow- 
ers of a crucified Saviour.' 

" 'I am surprised,' the R. W. M. replied, 'that a man 
of your sense and discrimination should have been led to 
adopt this weak and puerile argument ;' for he was some- 
what piqued at the pertinacity of Bro. Mackintosh ; ' but,' 
he continued, ' as we are now embarked in the discussion 
of principles, I will again take the liberty of calling on 
Bro. Inwood to answer this objection, as it applies more 
particularly to his profession than to mine.' 

" Bro. Inwood replied without hesitation," said the 
Square: " ' It is true, R. W. Sir, that the Actual Name, 
Jesus Christ, is not mentioned in our present formulas, 
as they have been revised by Bro. Preston, but why he 
should have omitted the primitive invocation in his new 
prayer, I am at a loss to conjecture, as it was always 
used by our ancient Brethren ; and, therefore, Bro. 
Mackintosh is mistaken in supposing that the omission 
had existed for centuries. But, waiving this argument, 
have you never considered that the Messiah is wor- 
shipped in Christian countries under a great variety of 
significant appellations, all of which refer to Jehovah 
or Christ ? In the Old Testament he is called the Voice 
of the Lord, the Angel of the Covenant, the Wonderful, 
the Councillor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, 
the Prince of Peace, the Creator, the Sun of Righteous- 
ness, the First and the Last, Emanuel, a Shepherd, a 
Rock, the Branch, &c, &c. And in the New Testament 
he has the corresponding titles of Emanuel, a Shepherd, 
a Door, a Rock, the Advocate, Alpha and Omega, the 
Sun of Righteousness, the Builder and Maker of the 
Universe, a Vine, the East, the Morning Star, &c. ; under 
any of which appellations he may be legitimately wor- 
shipped. Now I would ask Bro. Mackintosh in what 
Name or names our invocations are usually made V 

" ' We commonly use that of T. G. A. 0. T. U.,' said 
Bro. Mackintosh. 

" ' Right. And according to the teaching of Masonry, 
who is he?' 

" ' Him that was placed om the pinnacle of the Tem- 
ple, at Jerusalem.' 

" 'Which was Jesus Christ, for no other person was 
ever placed in that perilous situation ; and He, if we may 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUAEE. 1S3 

believe the Scriptures, was the Creator or Architect of 
the Universal World; or, as St. Paul expresses it, by 
whom and for whom all things were made. But we also 
use the titles of Most High and Jehovah, both being 
the names of Christ ; and amongst the diversity of appel- 
lations bestowed on him in Holy Writ, I am decidedly of 
opinion that the choice of our ancient Brethren was most 
judicious. But more effectually to convince Bro. Mack- 
intosh of his error, I may add, that in the earliest masonic 
prayers on record, the invocation was invariably made in 
the actual name of Jesus Christ. These original prayers 
have been discontinued only a very few years; that is, 
from the time when Hutchinson introduced the following 
well known passage into his Lectures, which were pub- 
licly and officially sanctioned by the Grand Lodge. 
Speaking of the action of the Third Degree, he says, — 
The Great Father of all, commiserating the miseries of 
the world, sent his only Son, who was innocence itself, 
to teach the doctrine of salvation ; by whom man was 
raised from the death of sin unto a life of righteousness ; 
from the tomb of corruption unto the chambers of hope ; 
from the darkness of despair to the celestial beams of 
faith ; and not only working for us this redemption, but 
making with us the covenant of regeneration, whence we 
are become the children of the Divinity, and inheritors of 
the realms of heaven. 

" ' We Masons,' Bro. Inwood continued, describing 
the deplorable state of religion under the Jewish law, 
' speak in figures, and say, — Her tomb was in the rubbish 
and filth cast forth of the Temple, and Acacia wove its 
branches over her monument, axaxia being the Greek 
word for innocence, or being free from sin, implying that 
the sins and corruptions of the old law, and the devotees 
of the Jewish altar, had hid religion from those who 
sought her, and she was only to be found where innocence 
survived, and under the banner of the Divine Lamb; 
and, therefore, as we ourselves profess to be distinguished 
by our Acacia, we ought to be true Acacians in our re- 
ligious faith and tenets. Again ; the acquisition of the 
doctrines of redemption is expressed in the typical cha- 
racter of Euramen {HvQa t uev, invent), and by the applica- 
tion of that name amongst Masons,i t is implied that 
we have discovered the knowledge of God and his salva- 



184 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tion, and have been redeemed from the death of sin, and 
the sepulchre of pollution and unrighteousness. Thus 
the Master Mason represented man under the Christian 
doctrine, saved from the grave of iniquity, and raised to 
the faith of salvation. As the great testimonial that we 
are risen from the state of corruption, we bear the emblem 
of the Holy Trinity, as the insignia of our vows, and of 
the origin of the Master's Order. At this period, also, 
our worthy Bro. Preston, in his code of Lectures, which 
have become almost universal in our Lodges, explains 
the number Five, in the Second Degree, by a reference 
to the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' 

" 'This explanation,' said Bro. Mackintosh, 'appears, 
d priori, so satisfactory, that I shall not take the trouble 
to examine its accuracy. But I have still another obser- 
vation to make, with permission of the Chair, on a sub- 
ject which I confess has created some serious misgivings 
in my mind, respecting the real intention of the Order at 
its original establishment. Perhaps some well-informed 
Brother will be able to explain my doubts away. But it 
naturally excites the apprehensions of a thinking man, 
when he finds the science of alchymy, or some such 
absurdity, anciently identified with Masonry, under the 
suspicious designation of Abrac, Abraxas, or Abracadabra, 
which is admitted by both the authorities you have just 
cited, viz., Hutchinson and Preston.' 

" 'Your doubts would be reasonable,' the R. W. M. 
replied, 'if they were just; but the admission of those 
two great Masons is rather problematical, for they allude 
to them only in explanation of an ancient manuscript, 
said to be written in the reign of Henry VI., about the 
year 1430. Now, you will not forget that in the age 
indicated by this MS., alchymical pursuits excited the 
attention of kings, peers, and prelates, and actually form- 
ed one branch of liberal education. All the hidden 
mysteries of natural philosophy were classed under the 
common head of occult science, and the king's astrologer 
was a public officer, and formed an influential member of 
every royal household in Europe. But, my dear friend, 
the Abracadabra was unconnected with alchymy. It is 
an appropriation which throws us back upon the dark 
ages of heathen ignorance, when some philosophers con- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 185 

tended that fire was the chief deity; and hence, as 
Bochavt informs us, in his " Sacred Geography," 1 the 
city of Ur, in Chaldea, where, according to Jewish tradi- 
tion, 2 Abraham was cast into the furnace, was so called 
from a word signifying Lux, seu ignis. They placed fire 
in the centre of the earth, and as the earth was thus con- 
sidered the primary object round which all the celestial 
bodies revolved, the situation assigned to their deity was, 
in their estimation, the absolute axle or pivot that direct- 
ed and governed the entire universe. 3 This hypothesis 
was in some degree conformable to the opinions of the 
Jews, who entertained a firm belief that Jehovah, who 
had manifested himself to their ancestors by fire, was 
resident in their land only, which they esteemed to be 
the centre or middle of the earth, and that the said axle 
was exactly coincident with the Sanctum Sanctorum of 
the Temple at Jerusalem. Hence they pronounced the 
rest of the world to be out of the pale of God's obser- 
vation and protection, occupying an indefinite circle of 
darkness, and alienated from the light of the Most High.' 

" 'You are aware, of course,' said Bro. Mackintosh, 
'that this interpretation was repudiated by the Basili- 
deans.' 

" 'I am not ignorant of the fact,' replied the R. W. 
M. 'The Basilideans, and other Gnostics, being better 
informed than the Jews, from having been instructed in 
the truths of Christian revelation, fell into errors equally 
fatal and absurd, by an intermixture of the Egyptian 
philosophy with the tenets of the Christian religion. 
They emancipated Jehovah from the Pythagorean and 
Jewish centre, and confined him to the circle of the 
year. They endowed him with 365 attributes or emana- 
tions, one for each diurnal rotation, which were individu- 
ally deified in their turn as a separate power, and invested 
with a corresponding name.' 

" ' And do you conceive this absurd doctrine to have 
been embodied in Masonry by our ancient Brethren?' 
interposed Bro. Mackintosh, 'for that is the question I 
am desirous to have solved.' 



1 Geog. Sacr., p. 83, ed. 1681. 2 Jerom., on Gen. xi., 3L 

3 Hist. Init., p. 63, n. 



186 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" 'Not at all,' said Bro. Noorthouck. 'The Egyptian 
doctrine, from which this was borrowed, appertained to 
the worship of Isis (a corruption, according to the 
Basilideans, of the name of Jesus), who was called 
Myrionyma, or the goddess with a thousand names, each 
name being a separate attribute, and proclaimed herself, 
as Plutarch informs us, Sum quidquidfuit, est, ct erit, nemoque 
mortaliam mild adliuc velum detraxit. Apuleius introduces 
her as saying, " I am the queen of heaven, the mystery 
of the elements, the beginning of ages, the governor of 
the firmament," &c. And it was in imitation of this pro- 
totype that Basilides gave his 365 names to the deity, 
one of which — perhaps the chief— was Abraxas, 4 which, 
on the one hand, referred to the sun at the first hour of 
his rising, and, on the other, to Jesus, who is represented 
in the New Testament as the Day-star from on high, 
rising in the East. Now, the Day-star is the sun, and 
hence he is called in another place the Sun of Righteous- 
ness.' 

" ' Then what, in the name of patience,' Bro. Mackin- 
tosh hastily said — 'what was this facidtie of Abrac, about 
which so much has been said V 

"'Be calm,' the R. W. M. answered, 'and I will tell 
you. The facultie of Abrac, mentioned in the MS. to 
which you have referred, was nothing more than the art 
of raising a horoscope or figure of the heavens at a cer- 
tain given moment of time; and every almanac-maker at 
the present day is acquainted with the process, although 
I greatly doubt whether it ever formed a legitimate 
object of research in a Masons' Lodge. I am rather 
inclined to think that, as the MS. was only a copy of one 
still older, this art was inserted amongst the secret prac- 
tices of Masonry by some ignorant transcriber, who 
fancied that being an occult, it must necessarily be a 
Masonic pursuit. I admit that the word Abraxas is 
found on some few of the Craft Lodge floorcloths, but 
whether the Brethren understand the facultie of Abrac 
literally, or whether it is intended as a name of the 
Mediator, I will not pretend to determine.' 

4 For a full description of the Abraxas, see my article on the sub- 
ject, in the F. Q. K., for 1848, p. 376. 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 1S7 

" ' You will excuse me, I am sure,' said Bro. Mackin- 
tosh, ' if I suggest a still further question, and it shall be 
the last, arising out of a passage in the R. A. Lectures, 
where mention is made of the Soul of Nature. I confess 
I cannot understand it, unless it has a reference to the 
above subject.' 

" ' You are correct,' the R. W. M. replied, ' in supposing 
that the Soul of Nature refers to the Abraxas, for we find 
that name substituted for Jehovah in some of the earliest 
chapters. It is, in fact, a reproduction of the Platonic 
triangle, T'Agathon — Nous — Psyche. The Platonists 
believed the world or Nature to be a living animal, endued 
with a soul {^coov evyvxov) ; and esteemed it as a form 
informing the universe, or rather a Form assistant, ima- 
gining it unsuitable to its deity to be mixed with, or 
vitally united to the grossest sub-celestial matter, and to 
have perceptions of all its motions. You will find the 
doctrine explained in Seneca de Beneficio, in the seventh 
chapter of the Fourth Book. According to this philo- 
sopher, when treating of the Soul of the World or 
Nature, matter is eternal — T'Agathon representing the 
Supreme Being — Nous, or Logos, the Intellectual world 
— and Psyche, or Demiurgus, a sort of deputy Creator, 
or Soul infused into Nature, which was constructed out 
of pre-existent materials, called Hyle. This quaternary 
of the Intellectual World or Nature, T'Agathon — Nous 
— Psyche — Hyle, formed the Pythagorean Tetractys, and' 
was considered equivalent to the Jewish Tetragramma- 
ton, which may be the reason why a reference to the 
doctrine was improperly foisted into R. A. Masonry by 
our respected and intelligent Brother Dunckerley ; but I 
conceive that no such principles were ever intended to 
form a characteristic portion of this exalted Order.' 

" ' My dear friend,' said Bro. Mackintosh, ' I confess I 
ought to ciypeccavi, and apologise for the trouble I have 
given you. You have afforded me considerable enlighten- 
ment on these intricate subjects ; and, to say the truth, 
I was scarcely aware that they were capable of such an 
elucidation. It strikes me that occasional conversations 
like this in which we are at present engaged in open 
Lodge, on doubtful or unintelligible points, would be of 
great service to Masonry, and confer more essential 



188 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 



benefits on the Brethren than the eternal repetition of 
the usual Lodge Lectures.' 

"The Brethren professed themselves to be greatly- 
edified by the discussion," said the Square, " and Bro. 
Mackintosh, from that moment, became a zealous and 
industrious Mason, and gradually advanced to the highest 
honours of the Craft." 



189 



CHAPTER XI. 

CHARLATANS. ARTHUR TEGART. 

1790—1794. 



" Absentem qui rodit amicum : 
Qui non defendit, alio culpante ; solutos 
Qui captat risus hominum, famamque dicacis ; 
Fingere qui non visa potest ; coromissa tacere 
Qui nequit; hie niger est : hunc tu, Eomane, caveto." 

Hor. 

" The base and vile doctrine of doing evil that good may come ; 
or, in other words, that the end justifies the means, has also been 
alleged against the Freemasons. Or, rather, it is expressly asserted 
of the Jesuits and Illuminees, by authors who decidedly implicate 
and involve our Society with those corrupt associations ; declaring it 
to be formed on the same plan, founded on the same principles, and 
furthering the same designs." — Harris. 

" In mids of which depainted there we found 
Deadly debate, all full of snaky hair 
That with a bloody fillet was ybound 
Outbreathing nought but discord everywhere." 

Sackville. 



The Square continued his Revelations in a moralizing 
spirit. " Towards the conclusion of the eighteenth cen- 
tury," he said, " Fremasonry had many enemies to con- 
tend with. Besides the professed Cowans, there were 
false Masons, seceding Masons, and Antimasons, all of 
whom were arrayed against the truth; but the latter 
were the most venomous. They attacked, with blind 
and indiscriminate zeal, like a bear overturning a hive of 
bees, unconscious of the punishment to which he exposes 
himself, an institution, of the design of which they were 
profoundly ignorant, with the avowed determination of 
scuttling and sinking the gallant ship. This hazy notion 
led them into a slough of difficulties, where every plunge 
they made sank them deeper and deeper in their soft and 



190 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

miry bed. Pope had already described them in the 
' Dunciad :' — 

'Here plung'd a feeble, but a desperate pack, 
With each a sickly Brother at his back ; 
Sons of a day ! just buoyant on the flood, 
They number' d with the puppies in the mud. 
Ask ye their names ? I could as soon disclose 
The names of these blind puppies as of those.' 

'Nor could they be made to understand that the 
^enius of Masonry, while pursuing her stately march of 
benevolence through the world, diffuses happiness wher- 
ever she appears, and scatters blessings with a liberal 
hand. 

' Her flowing raiment pure as virgin snow 
Or fabled field where fairest lilies grow, 
A milk-white lamb ran sporting by her side, 
As innocence her manners dignified. 
Her whole deportment harmony and love, 
Temper'd with meekness from the realms above. 
A blazing star upon her front she wore ; 
A cornucopia in her hand she bore. 
Where'er she trod the sciences arose ; 
Where'er she breath 'd confusion sham'd her foes ; 
Dismayed they fled, nor dar'd to look behind, 
For foes of her were foes of human kind.' 1 

" Although Freemasonry is thus constantly employed 
in performing the high behests of the Divinity, the Anti- 
masons of a foreign land, during the period now under 
our consideration, succeeded in obstructing her course, 
and, for a brief period, absolutely annihilated her ex- 
istence, amidst the wild dissensions and anarchy of a 
blood-stained revolution. Translations of the virulent 
attacks of Lefranc 2 and Latocnaye 3 were freely distri- 

1 From an unpublished "Ode on Masonry,'' by the Rev. S. Oliver. 

3 Lefranc' s work is called the "Veil withdrawn for the Curious; 
or, the Secret of the Revolution divulged by the aid of Freemasonry. 
By the Abbe Lefranc, Principal of the Seminary of the Eudists, at 
Caen, in Normandy." 1792. 

3 "The Philosophy of Masonry." An answer to this attack was 
published in the "Freemasons' Magazine" for 1793, in which the 
writer gives the following account of the object and design of Free- 
masonry : — "This sublime Institution refines society into a more 
beautiful and a more perfect system, by joining men together in closer 
and more affectionate relations than is the case in the enlarged state 
of social intercourse. But its grand labour to bring about this glorious 
end, is to make its votaries good men and true ; and as the strong- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 191 

buted; the former of whom reproduced the worn-out 
fiction, that, on the death of a friend who had been a 
very zealous Mason and many years Master of a respect- 
able Lodge, he found amongst his papers a collection of 
masonic writings, containing the rituals, catechisms, and 
symbols of every kind belonging to a train of degrees, 
together with many discourses delivered in different 
Lodges, and minutes of their proceedings. The perusal 
filled him, as he tells his readers, with astonishment and 
anxiety. For he found that doctrines were taught, and 
maxims of conduct inculcated, which were subversive of 
religion and all good order in the state ; 4 and which not 
only countenanced disloyalty and sedition, but even in- 
vited to it. He thought them so dangerous to the state, 
that he sent an account of them to the Archbishop of 
Paris, long before the Revolution, in the hope that he 
would represent the matter to his majesty's ministers, 

est motive to virtue, it points their view to that Temple of immortal 
perfection beyond the present state, where social happiness is alone 
complete, but which you have endeavoured to persuade men is only 
a visionary structure erected by artifice, and supported by super- 
stition." 

4 Lefranc seems to have improved on the fable invented by an 
English charlatan, and inserted in the Preface of a pretended reve- 
lation which had been published many years before ; where the 
author unblushingly proclaims, for the purpose, we suppose, of obvi- 
ating the suspicion of perjury, the incredible fiction that he acquired 
his knowledge from some loose papers belonging to a merchant, to 
whom he was nearly related, who had been a member of the Queen's 
Arms Lodge, St. Paul's Churchyard. This relation dying about ten 
years ago, the Editor became possessed of his effects ; and on look- 
ing over his papers, amongst others he found some memorandums of 
Masonry, which excited his curiosity so far, that he resolved to enter 
a Lodge without going through the ceremonies required by the 
Society. He first made trial on an intimate acquaintance who was a 
Freemason, and he readily returned the sign which was made to him. 
After a more particular examination on the part of his friend, as to 
where he was made, and when, &c, to all of which he answered with 
great readiness, he received an invitation to attend the Lodge as a 
visiting member. Elated by success, he consented to accompany his 
friend ; and after the usual ceremony at the door, he was admitted by 
the Tyler, clothed himself in his apron, and took his seat as a Bro- 
ther Mason. He further tells his readers that he was present at two 
initiations, and that the ceremonies corresponded with his deceased 
relative's papers. He then went to another Lodge, where he distin- 
guished himself greatly in answering the Questions proposed by the 
Master, which he acquired from his friend's manuscripts of the Entered 
Apprentice, and Fellowcraft's Lectures. 



192 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

and that they would put an end to the meetings of this 
dangerous society, or at least restrain its members from 
committing such excesses. But he was disappointed, 
and, therefore, thought it was his duty to lay them 
before the public. 

" And Latocnaye," continued the Square, " treats his 
readers with a rigmarole story, that when he was initi- 
ated, an old gentleman asked him what he thought of 
Freemasonry. He answered, ' A great deal of noise, and 
much nonsense.' ' Nonsense !' said the other ; ' do not 
judge so rashly, young man, I have been a Mason these 
twenty-five years, and the farther I advanced the more 
interested I became ; but I stopped short, and nothing 
shall prevail on me to proceed a step farther.' In another 
conversation the old gentleman confessed that his quarrel 
with the Institution originated in his refusal, a long time 
previous, to accede to some treasonable proposals which 
were made to him by some members of his Lodge, ever 
since which he had been treated by the Fraternity with 
great reserve ; and under the pretext of further instruc- 
tions, they were anxious to soften down their seditious 
proposals by giving them a different explanation, for the 
purpose of removing the suspicions which he had formed 
concerning the ultimate scope of the Institution. 

" Then the great guns were brought to bear on the 
Order," said the Square, " in the ponderous 'Proofs' of 
Professor Robison, 5 and the Abbe Barruel's ' Memoirs of 
Jacobinism ;' 6 the latter of whom, with consummate skill, 



5 "Proofs of a Conspiracy against all Religions and Governments 
of Europe, carried on in the Secret Meetings of Freemasons, Illumi- 
nati, and Eeading Societies. Collected from good authorities. By- 
John Robison." Edinburgh, Creech, 1797. The Second Edition, 
with corrections and additions : London, Cadell : and Edinburgh, 
Creech, 1797. Third Edition, still further enlarged : London, Cadell, 
1798. Fourth Edition: London, 1798. This book was translated 
into French, and published by Thory in 1797 ; into German, and 
published in 1800 ; with other editions in 1802 and 1803 ; and also 
into several other continental languages. 

6 " Memoirs, illustrating the History of Jacobinism, by the Abbe 
Barruel, and translated into English by the Hon. Robert Clifford." 
London, 1797. Second Edition : London, 1798. This extraordinary 
book was originally written in French. It went through several 
editions in that country, and was translated into most of the conti- 
nental languages. In support of his theory, Barruel tells his readers 
that a nobleman, who had been disgusted with what he saw in the 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 193 

graced a losing cause by dressing up falsehood in great 
eloquence of language, and gilding discomfiture with 
selfish adulation. These two works created an immense 
sensation, although they were powerfully answered by 
Preston, 7 Jones, 8 and other masonic worthies. 

" And the task was not difficult," said the Square. 
" If these unprincipled charlatans, abbes, and professors, 
had favoured us with a few rays of truth to enlighten 
our progress through the vast region of darkness and error 
into which their copious tomes have led us, we might 
have afforded to excuse the evil for the sake of the good. 
But obtrectatio ac livor pronis auribus accipiuntur? and 
instead of that, their publications present to our view 
one gigantic tissue of errors. False in principle, false in 
practice, false in facts, and false in detail, they are unpos- 
sessed of a single redeeming feature, although they passed 
through as many editions as ' Jack the Giant Killer' and 
' Tom Thumb ;' and every argument, every objection, 
and every surmise has been answered and refuted a thou- 
sand times over. 

" As for Barruel, he was either deceived himself, or 
possessed with a wilful and wicked determination of 
deceiving others. The latter alternative appears the most 
reasonable ; for it is barely possible that he could be 
misinformed on a subject, to the study of which he had 
devoted all his energies for the professed purpose of 

Freemasons' Lodges, reported it to the minister, saying that he con- 
sidered it his duty to do this, though it might probably lodge him in 
the Bastile. The minister turned on his heel, and said, with a smile, 
" Be satisfied, my friend, you shall not go to the Bastile, nor will the 
Freemasons disturb the state." It appears also that the king himself 
had been informed of those dangerous proceedings. But being easy 
and confident, he did not know the change which had been produced 
in the minds of his subjects, till his return from Varennes. Then he 
observed to a friend, "How does it happen that I closed my mind 
against this ? I was informed of it all eleven years ago, and refused 
to believe it." 

7 "Freemasons' Magazine," and "Illustrations of Masonry." 

8 A Vindication of Masonry from the charge of having given rise 
to the French Revolution, in the " Masonic Essayist." 

9 "What!" cried the scholar, " have you studied the classics ?" 
" You ought hardly to be surprised at that," replied the devil. "I 
speak fluently all the barbarous tongues — Hebrew, Greek, Persic, 
and Arabic. Nevertheless, I am not vain of my attainments ; and 
that, at all events, is an advantage I have over your learned pedants." 
— Asmodeus. 



194 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

exposure and ultimate extinction. He tells his readers 
the improbable fiction that initiation was absolutely forced 
upon htm. Hear his lachrymose confession from his own 
mouth, and wonder : ' During the last twenty years,' he 
says, ' it was difficult, especially in Paris, to meet with 
persons who did not belong to the Society of Freema- 
sons. I was acquainted with many, and some were my 
most intimate friends. These, with all that zeal common to 
young adepts, frequently pressing me to become one of 
the Brotherhood ; and notwithstanding my constant and 
steady refusal, they determined to enrol me. Having 
settled their plan, I was invited to dinner at a friend's 
house, and was the only profane person in the midst of a 
large assembly of Masons. Dinner being over, and the 
servants having withdrawn, it was proposed to form 
themselves into a Lodge, and to initiate me. I persisted 
in my refusal, and particularly declined to take any oath 
to keep those things secret which were unknown to me. 
The oath was, therefore, dispensed with ; but I still 
refused. They then became more pressing ; telling me 
that Masonry was perfectly innocent, and its morality 
unobjectionable. In reply, I asked whether it was better 
than that of the Gospel. They only answered by form- 
ing themselves into a Lodge, and commenced all those 
grimaces and childish ceremonies which are described in 
books on Masonry. I attempted to escape, but in vain ; 
the apartment was very extensive, the house in a retired 
situation, the servants in the secret, and all the doors 
locked. I was then questioned, and my answers were 
given laughingly. In the end I was admitted Apprentice, 
and immediately afterwards Fellowcraft. Having receiv- 
ed these two degrees, I was informed that a third was 
to be conferred on me. On this I was conducted into 
another spacious apartment, where the scene changed, 
and assumed a more serious appearance, &c, Ohe, jam 
satis ! 

" Do you believe this medley of improbabilities V said 
the Square, interrogatively. " No one does. There is 
not a single grain of truth in this overflowing measure 
of chaff. Freemasonry is not a proselyting system ; no 
zealous young adepts can press their friends to become 
Masons, for the candidate is bound to declare that his 
application is purely unsolicited, or he would be summa- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 195 

rily rejected. Again, no Lodge can be opened after din- 
ner in a private house, nor in the presence of a candidate 
before initiation ; the O. B. cannot be dispensed with ; 
the Brethren have no grimaces and childish ceremonies ; 
nor can three degrees be conferred at one time. Such 
wild assertions as the Abbe has used to cajole his readers, 
may blind the profane and Antimason, who will compla- 
cently swallow a camel's load of the most incredible 
scurrility, when directed against the Institution of Free- 
masonry ; but no man of ordinary common sense could 
be deluded into believing such a mendacious statement, 
which violates all the ordinary principles by which 
Masonry is regulated and knit together. 

" To support his hypothesis, that the object of Free- 
masonry is liberty and equality, or, in other words, revo- 
lution, and the destruction of social order, Barruel used 
the following argument, deduced from presuming facts. 
' It was on the day,' he says, ' when Louis XVI. was im- 
prisoned by a Decree of the Jacobins, that the secret of 
Freemasonry was, for the first time, made public ; that 
secret, so dear to them, and which they preserved with 
all the solemnity of the most inviolable oath. At the 
reading of this famous decree, they exclaimed, "We have 
at length succeeded, and France is no other than one 
immense Lodge. The whole French people are Free- 
masons, and the entire universe will soon follow their 
example." I witnessed this enthusiasm, and heard the 
conversation to which it gave rise. I heard Masons, till 
then the most reserved, freely and openly declare, that 
at length the grand object of Masonry was accomplished 
by the establishment of equality and liberty. "All men 
are now equal and brothers," they exclaimed, " and all 
men are free. This is the entire substance of our doctrine, 
the object of our wishes, and the whole of our Grand 
Secret." Such was the language,' says the Abbe, ' which 
I heard fall from the most zealous Masons ; from those 
whom I have seen decorated with all the insignia of the 
highest degrees, and who enjoyed the rights of Vener- 
ables to preside over the Lodges. I have heard them 
express themselves in this manner before those whom 
Masons would call the profane, without enjoining the 
slightest secresy, either from the men or women present. 
They said it in a tone as if they wished all France should 



196 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

be acquainted with this glorious achievement of Masonry ; 
as if they were to recognise in them its benefactors, and 
the authors of that revolution of Equality and Liberty, 
of which it had given so grand an example to all Europe. 
Such, in reality, was the general secret of the Freemasons.^ 

"The man declares," pursued the Square, "that he 
saw and heard all this. Is he to be credited? I think 
not ; or at least his testimony must be received cum grano 
salis; for it may be difficult to conjecture what kind of 
reverie he was in when he dreamt of such absurdities. 

" Once more. He presents his readers with a pretended 
extract from the Lodge Lectures. Listen to it : ' Learn, 
in the first place,' says the Venerable to the candidate, 
'that the three implements with which you have been 
made acquainted, viz., the Bible, the Compass, and the 
Square, have a secret signification, which I will ex- 
plain. The Bible instructs you to acknowledge no 
other law than that of Adam — the law which the Al- 
mighty engraved on his heart, and is called the Law of 
Nature. The Compasses recall to your mind that God is 
the central point from which everything is equally dis- 
tant, and to which everything is equally near. By the 
Square you learn that God has made everything equal. 
The Cubical Stone teaches that all actions are alike with 
respect to the Sovereign good. The death of Hiram, and 
the change of the Master's word, teach you that it is 
difficult to escape the snares of ignorance ; and that it is 
your duty to show the same courage as our Master Hiram, 
who suffered himself to be massacred rather than hearken 
to the persuasion of his assassins.' 

" One would think," continued the Square, emphatic- 
ally, "that the simplest and most gullible Cowan in his 
majesty's dominion could scarcely be deceived by the 
relation of these gross absurdities. If Barruel believed 
them himself, he had more verdant reticulations on the 
cuticle of his brain than I gave him credit for. I am not 
hypercritical ; but I put it to you pointedly and plainly, 
whether, on a fair literal and grammatical construction 
of his words, any resemblance, however remote, to our 
general illustrations, can be traced in this fanciful expo- 
sition of our highly-esteemed symbols ? And it is, there- 
fore, impossible to arrive at any other conclusion than 
that a wilful perversion of facts, supported by a sophis- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 197 

tical train of reasoning, are the unstable grounds on 
which the Jesuit has founded a superstructure, that, like 
the ancient military towers called Belfroi, was intended 
to batter down, and level with the earth, the bulwarks 
of a benevolent institution, which teaches man to do 
justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God. 
The attempt, however, failed most signally, and the de- 
famers of the Order sank into insignificance. We may, 
therefore, say with Dry den, — 

' Let them rail on ; let their vindictive muse, 
Have four and twenty letters to abuse, 
Which, if they jumble to one line of sense, 
Indict them of a capital offence.' 

" This important subject," the Square proceeded to 
say, " constituted a prolific topic of conversation amongst 
the Craft, and it was once discussed seriatim by the Mem- 
bers of our Lodge, who expressed their opinions on it 
very freely. It was induced by an observation of Bro. 
Arthur Tegart, who was installed on St. John's day, 1793. 
that he had recently seen a book, published by a French 
emigrant, which w r as intended to prove that Masonry is 
a system of deism. 

" 'And to convince you, Brethren,' the K. W. M. con- 
tinued, ' of the lamentable ignorance which this gentle- 
man displays of the Institution which he professes to ex- 
pose, you shall hear the account that he gives of one of 
the ceremonies of initiation. He tells his readers that 
the candidate, after having heard many threatenings 
against those who should betray the secrets of the Order, 
is conducted to a place wiiere he sees the dead bodies of 
several persons who are said to have suffered for their 
treachery. At this point of the ceremony, he himself, 
as he coolly asserts, saw his own Brother bound hand 
and foot, and was informed that he was doomed to suffer 
the punishment due to this grave offence, and that it was 
reserved for himself to be the instrument of their ven- 
geance, which would enable him to manifest his com- 
plete devotion to the Order. It being observed, however, 
that his countenance indicated extreme horror, as his 
Brother continued earnestly to implore his mercy, a 
bandage was charitably placed over his eyes, in order to 
spare his feelings. A dagger was then placed in his 
14 



198 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

right hand, his left being laid on the palpitating heart of 
the victim, and he was commanded to strike. He in- 
stantly obeyed ; and when the bandage was removed 
from his eyes, he discovered that a lamb had been sub- 
stituted, although he verily believed that he had stabbed 
his brother. Surely, he adds, such trials, and such wan- 
ton cruelty, are fit only for training conspirators.' 

" ' He cannot be speaking of blue Masonry,' Bro. Pigou 
observed, ' for there is not a shadow of resemblance to 
any one of our ceremonies in the entire process.' 

"'He scarcely knows what he is speaking of,' said 
Bro. Jones ; 'but it is evident that he intends the pro- 
fane world to believe that it is a faithful description of 
our secret rites ; and to my certain knowledge there are 
a vast number of people that either do, or pretend to 
believe it.' 

" 'As they do also,' Bro. Preston interposed, 'the wild 
assertion of Lefranc, that while the National Assembly 
protected the meetings of Freemasons, it peremptorily 
prohibited those of every other Society. The obligation, 
he continues, of laying aside all stars, ribbons, crosses, 
and other honourable distinctions, under the pretext of 
fraternal equality, was not merely a prelude, but was in- 
tended as a, preparation for the discontinuance of all civil 
distinctions, which actually took place at the very be- 
ginning of the Revolution, and the first proposal of a 
surrender was made by a zealous Mason. He further 
observes, that the horrible and sanguinary oaths, the 
daggers, sculls, and cross-bones, the imaginary combats 
with the murderers of Hiram, and many other gloomy 
ceremonies, have a natural tendency to harden the heart, 
to qualify its natural disgust at deeds of horror, and to 
pave the way for those shocking barbarities which made 
the name of a Frenchman abhorred throughout Europe. 
It is true, these deeds were perpetrated by a mob of 
fanatics; but the principles, as he informs his readers, 
were promulgated and fostered by persons who styled 
themselves masonic philosophers.' 

"'Absurd!' interjected Bro. Crespigny. 'To what 
Quixotic projects will some persons resort in support of 
an untenable hypothesis. These men are labouring to 
promulgate an opinion that Freemasonry was the proxi- 
mate cause of the Revolution in France, with which it 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 199 

had as little to do as in producing the general Deluge. 
Hoffmann, a German writer against Freemasonry, has 
the candour to admit that the Order had been abused 
and misrepresented by the matchless villany (these are the 
very words) of its opponents; and that they were per- 
fectly unscrupulous in the invention and application of 
any facts or surmises, how absurd soever they might 
be, which promised to preserve the balance of their 
theory.' 

" ' For which purpose,' said Bro. Pigou, " one of these 
worthies boldly asserts, that the President's hat in the 
National Assembly is copied from that of a Venerable 
Grand Master in a Mason's Lodge ; and that the Scarf 
of a municipal officer is the same as is worn by an En- 
tered Apprentice Mason. And when the Assembly cele- 
brated the Revolution in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, 
he further says, its members accepted of the highest 
honours of Masonry, by passing under an Arch of steel, 
formed by the drawn swords of a double rank of Breth- 
ren.' 

"'These improbable chimeras have been conjured up 
by Lefranc,' Bro. Jones observed, 'to excite the appre- 
hensions of the timid, and the ridicule of the bold. Now, 
the alternative embraced by his hypothesis may be put 
in this form : he was either a Freemason or not. If the 
former, and had entered into solemn obligations of secre- 
sy, does the violation of those obligations afford him 
any claim to credence ? Or is the man who fearlessly 
violates an oath, w T hich, according to his own statement, 
is most awfully administered, likely to have any scruples 
of conscience respecting the truth or falsehood of his 
assertions, when he undertakes to publish a pamphlet ad 
captandiun vvlgus? If M. Lefranc never was initiated, it 
follows, of course, that his work must be an unauthor- 
ized fabrication. As to the stale pretext of deriving his 
knowledge of Masonry from a collection of papers, 
placed in his hands by a Brother on his deathbed — the 
long-hackneyed fiction is too palpable to deserve a 
moments consideration.' 

"Bro. Preston then appealed to the Brethren present, 
to say whether these books, which denounce Freemason- 
ry as an irreligious and deistical Institution, active in 
promoting evil, but neutral at the least, if not hostile, to 



200 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the existence of good, are not a gross and wicked libel 
on a Society whose foundation and superstructure are 
peace, harmony, and brotherly love ? To submit to the 
powers that be ; to obey the laws which yield protection ; 
to conform to the government under which they live ; to 
be attached to their native soil and sovereign ; to encou- 
rage industry, to reward merit, and to practise universal 
benevolence, are the fundamental tenets of Masons ; 
' peace on earth and good will to man,' are their study ; 
while the cultivators and promoters of that study are 
marked as patterns worthy of imitation and regard. 
Friends to Church and State in every regular govern* 
ment, their tenets interfere with no particular faith, but 
are alike friendly to all. Suiting themselves to circum- 
stances and situation, their Lodges are an asylum to the 
friendless and unprotected of every age and nation. As 
citizens of the world, religious antipathy and local preju- 
dices fail to operate, while every nation affords them a 
friend, and every climate a home. 

"'I am obliged to Bro. Preston,' said the R. W. M., 
'for his excellent eulogium — indeed, nothing less could 
be expected from a Brother of his eminence. But the 
question is, can anything be done to counteract the 
effect of these mendacious publications, which, like the 
blasting simoom of the Arabian deserts, that envelops 
man and beast in its deadly embrace, carry conviction to 
the understanding of some, overthrow the faith of others, 
and create doubt and suspicion in the minds of all V 

" 'I rather incline to the opinion of Gamaliel,' Bro. Sir 
John Aubyn gravely replied ; ' let them alone : if this 
counsel or this work be of man, it will come to nought. 
And I am fully persuaded that the proximate intention 
of all these writers against Freemasonry, is to produce 
an effect decidedly hostile to the lessons of peace and 
order which the Redeemer bequeathed as an everlasting 
legacy to his followers.' 

" ' I shall at least,' said Bro. Preston, ' discharge my 
own conscience, by endeavouring to furnish all right- 
minded men with a reply to the gratuitous and unfound- 
ed assertions of Lefranc, in a short paper on the subject, 
addressed to the Editor of the 'Gentleman's Magazine.' 

" 'I see no harm in that,' replied Bro. Dagge, 'pro- 
vided it be done in a mild and gentlemanly spirit. 



THE REVELATIOXS OF A SQUARE. 201 

"'And I will take care not to exceed the bounds of 
the strictest decorum, ' Bro. Preston rejoined. 

"But all the masonic charlatans of the age," the 
Square continued, "and their name is Legion, were 
eclipsed by a working tailor of the name of Finch, who 
was now beginning to acquire a notorious celebrity, 
which was consummated a few years later by the un- 
blushing assurance with which his pretensions were 
advocated. Expelled from the Order by the Grand 
Lodge, he commenced a system of practical Masonry on 
his own account, although at the best he was but malce, 
fidei possessor; and, like the fox that had lost his tail, 
he used every art of persuasion to induce others to cut 
off theirs, that his deformity might escape the censure of 
singularity. He succeeded in finding an abundance of 
ready abettors, by whose aid he reaped a golden harvest. 

" Thus Masonry, appearing to be more profitable than 
the exercise of his needle, he determined to make the 
most of it ; and having been furnished by Nature with 
an assurance equal to that of Signor Corcuela's friend in 
' Gil Bias,' he did not hide his talent under a bushel, but 
brought it into practice with tolerable success. He 
commenced his career by giving private instructions in 
Masonry, for a con-si-de-ra-tion, and numbers resorted to 
him for that purpose. By some means or other, known 
only to himself, he had become pretty well versed in the 
continental fables, and by amalgamating them with 
English Masonry, he succeeded in exciting a prurient 
curiosity amongst the more inexperienced Brethren, 
which brought an abundance of grist to his masonic mill. 

" The R. W. M.," continued the Square, " on one of 
our regular Lodge nights, read a prospectus, which 
Finch had addressed to him officially, and a brief con- 
versation arose out of a remark of Bro. Deans on the 
insufferable arrogance and effrontery of that person in 
venturing to annoy the Lodges with his unauthorized 
correspondence. 

" ' These circulars,' Bro. Preston observed, 'which are 
in reality nothing more than advertisements, to promote 
the sale of his catchpenny publications, 10 are not only 

10 His principal works were not published till the beginning of the 
nineteenth century : but I insert a few of them here to render the 



202 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

disseminated among the Lodges, but publicly placarded 
on blank walls in the purlieus of the city, in company 
with notices of quack medicines, blacking-pots, metallic 
tractors, and animal magnetism.' 

" ' I know the fellow,' said Bro. Pigou. ' His self-pos- 
session, under any circumstances that may arise, is 
worthy of a better cause. He is a nondescript in his 
principles, and a cormorant in his appetite for plunder. 
Peace and harmony have no charms for him ; order and 
regularity are his aversion ; obedience and subordination 
he detests ; in a word, his sole object is to sink the tai- 
lor, and convert Masonry into a more profitable and less 
laborious employment. His needle is sharp, but he 
thinks himself sharper, and he has discarded the thimble 
for a rig which he fancies will be more remunerative.' 

" 'Besides all this,' Bro. Dean interposed, ' the man is 
cursed with the demon of ambition, and is desirous of 
being 

' Jove in his chair 
Of the sky Lord Major,' 

which is but a prelude to his ultimate exposure.' 

" ' And it would be as well to effectuate it at once,' 
Bro. Dagge observed. 

" ' Let him alone,' replied Bro. Preston ; ' let him alone. 
His imposture is too transparent to be of long continu- 
ance. Give him rope enough, and we shall see him, one 
of these fine days, gracefully dangling from his own 
signpost." 

subject complete. (1) "A Masonic Treatise, with an Elucidation on 
the Religious and Moral Beauties of Freemasonry; Ziydvjxyjpix, 
Zqjisgstn, Wxstxjin, &c. R A— A M— R C— K S— MP— M— 
&c. ; for the use of Lodges and Brothers in general. Dedicated, by 
permission, to William Perfect, Esq., P. Gr. M. for the county of 
Kent. By W. Finch, Canterbury. Please to observe that every 
book has on the Title-page, ty Qxzf, and Oivjjxg Qvwgzjpix." Deal, 
1800. Second edition, Deal, 1802. (2) " An Elucidation of the Ma- 
sonic Plates, consisting of sixty-four different compartments. By 
W. Finch." London, 1802. (3) "A Masonic Key, with an Eluci- 
dation. By W. Finch." Deal, 1803. (4) "The Lectures, Laws, 
and Ceremonies of the Holy Royal Arch degree of Freemasonry. 
By W. Finch." Lambeth, 1812. (5) " A new Set of Craft Lec- 
tures for the use of Lodges and the Brethren in general." Lambeth, 
Finch, 1814. (6) " The Origin of Freemasons, their Doctrine, 
&c." London, 1816. He published many other pamphlets respect- 
ing the higher degrees, which it would be tedious to enumerate. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 20o 

"'At least,' said Bro. Jones, 'his reputation will be 
thus suspended, and exposed to public derision. It will 
not attain a green old age, how verdant soever his credu- 
lous disciples may at present be..' 

" ' More improbable things than that have occurred,' 
rejoined Bro. Pigou. 

"'And yet,' the R. W. M. observed, 'his speculation 
promises to be successful, for he is exceedingly popular 
with a certain set, as many a demagogue has been before 
him, and will be again, so long as a dupe remains to be 
tormented by fictitious evils, or amused with the hope of 
imaginary good. 

'"I confess,' said Bro. Batson, * that my patience is 
severely tried, when I reflect on the self-sufficient 
assumption of infallibility which this ignorant empiric 
arrogates to himself. He boldly announces that both the 
ancient and modern sections are erroneous, not only in 
practice, but in principle; and asserts that the York sys- 
tem alone, which he insinuates to be something essentially 
different from both, is genuine. And he further pro- 
claims, with a flourish of trumpets, that the York 
system of Masonry is represented in its purity by only 
one solitary Lodge — the glorious light of Masonry has 
been universally extinguished, or become like the flicker- 
ing blaze of an expiring rushlight, and burns brightly in 
one only place — and that place — hear it, ye genii that 
preside over humbug and knavery, imposition and false- 
hood — that place — the house of William Finch, of Can- 
terbury, and himself — save the mark — its Grand Mas- 
ter!!!' 

" 'From which metropolitical centre,' the R. W. M. 
interposed, ' his manifestoes and prospectuses radiate in 
every direction, to induce the purchase of his pretended 
Lectures, which are enunciated in the form of thin 
pamphlets, at the enormous charge of half a guinea each. 
And to clothe the imposture with the hope of being 
permanently remunerative, they are chiefly in manuscript, 
and ingeniously constructed on such a principle that, as 
I am told, a personal application to the author for their 
elucidation is absolutely necessary to make them mode- 
rately intelligible ; and the interview can only be obtain- 
ed through the medium of an additional fee.' 

" 'The rogue,' said Bro. M'Grillivray, 'is grasping to 



204 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

receive, but always unwilling to pay. Like Billy Green, 
the idiot, who accosted every one he met, with ' Sir, give 
a penny, and I will sing you a song, but give me the penny 
first? he stipulates in his prospectuses, as a sine qua non, 
that all payments must be made in advance, and all letters 
be post-paid.' 

"'I have had the curiosity,' Bro. Batson remarked, 
'to visit his crack Lodge; but my attention was excited 
by nothing so much as the extreme unction with which 
he pronounced the self-laudatory address that terminated 
the proceedings.' 

" 'And what did he say for himself?' the R. W. M. 
asked; for he felt some slight interest in any personal 
anecdote of a character who had established such an 
unenviable notoriety, 

" 'It was in the style of eulogy, delivered in extremely 
coarse and vulgar language,' Bro. Batson replied; 'and 
he was a good mimic,' " the Square interposed, paren- 
thetically. " ' Brethren, my name is William Finch. I 
am not ashamed of it. The name of Finch will be known 
when those of his calumniators are forgotten. I am the 
true and only conservator of genuine ancient Masonry. 
No man understands it so well as myself. I am the 
greatest Mason in Europe, as all the foreign Lodges are 
ready to testify. Those who wish to learn the science 
must come to me. I alone can teach the true secrets of 
mysticism, cabalism, and theurgy, practised by those 
learned masonic bodies the Chevaliers Bienfaisants, the 
Amis Reunis de la Verite, the Philalethes, and the Mis- 
raimites. They are not known to any Englishman except 
myself! I'm wide awake, my friends ! I know a trick 
or two! Put down your gold, dear Brethren, and you 
shall see — what you shall see. They'll bowl me out, will 
they ? If they succeed, my name is not William Finch. 
l^o, no, they can't do it. I should like to see them try. 
Ha ! ha ! They have tried more than once, and failed ; 
and they will not do it again, I'll engage.' And thus he 
ran on, something in the style of Richard Brothers, the 
political prophet, to the edification of his youthful 
admirers, and the unconcealed disgust of all right- 
minded Brethren. Risum tencatis amid! 

" 'I have, myself, been weak enough,' said Bro. Dagge, 
1 to purchase one of his manuscripts, and I cannot say 



THE REVELATIOXS OF A SQUARE. 20-5 

that my disappointment was altogther unexpected, when 
I discovered that on the most material points I was 
referred to other pamplets, as well as to a private inter- 
view for explanation. This course was evidently pur- 
sued with the undisguised intention of inducing the 
purchase of them also at the same price, that his nest 
might be effectually feathered. Well may it be said that 
charlatanism pays better than merit; for I soon found 
that it would be impossible to decipher his complicated 
hieroglyphics so as to understand the system, unless I 
had every one of his books before me, as well as the keys 
of his ciphers, and elucidations of his numerous blanks 
and spaces, 11 and even then it is doubtful whether any 
useful information can be extracted from their perusal ; 
for they leave the reader nearly as much in the dark as 
when he commenced the hopeless task of unriddling 
these cabalistic productions.' 

11 Read the following delectable specimen as an example, if you can. 

" 5 He liwvivw those t r g 33 to wrerdv gsvn hvoevh equally 

into ulfi wrerhrlmh, one of which was to go down to Qlkkz where the 
materials were ozmwvw for the yfrowrmt and vmjfriv, if any such 
nvm had yvvm gsviv at the same time to wrhxiryv gsvn they received 
uli zmhdvi there had, but owing to the vnyzitl they could not obtain 
a kzhhztv, they therefore returned into the rmgvirli kzig of the xlfm 
gib, those gsivv 33 then returned orpvdrhv, and on passing by the 
nlfgs lu a xzevby the hvz hrwv they svziwthe following vcxoznzgrlmh 
(here follows the various vcxoznzgrlmh) they knowing by their elrxvh 
they were nvm lu Gbiv and by their vcxoznzgrlmh that they were the 
hznv, they were rm kvihfrg lu they therefore if hsvw rm and awd 
ulfmw the same, they then ylfmw gsvn and yilftsg gsvn yvulix K 

S ." Again in another pamphlet. " So r — m — and i — from 

the W— M— in xxx E— ; xxx and c— t— txt— S. W. in the W. 
In xxx S — &c. (See the first part of my Union Lectures.) Once 
more. The origin of the M — M — — B — is taken from a custom 
of the Jews when they E — i — a — S — E — , they b — f — a — B — 
and c — it a — ; and p — b — the p — t — , they said t — 1 — it be done 
t — h — , and t — 1 — h — q — b — b — c — a — , who shall b — h — o — ." 
These extracts will be quite sufficient to show that the real intention 
of the charlatan was to extract money from the pockets of his dupes ; 
but I cannot refrain from giving another quotation from his pamphlet 
on the Royal Arch. " W — w — t — do a — in 1 — and unity the S — 
W — o — a — R — A — M — to k — a — n — t — r — i — t — a — i — ■ 
t — w — unless it be when t — s — a — w — d — m — and a — . They 
now give the S — of S — the t — t — ; which done they a — t — t — 
p — and S — on the f — s — of their c — s — . Z — s — I — d — t — 
g — and R — C — d — o — in the n — o — g. There is another method 
of opening the Royal Arch Chapters far more sublime than this ; 
which may be had in MS. by application to W. Finch ! ! !" 



206 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"It may save trouble," the Square continued, " to 
sum up this impostor's history by an account of his final 
exposure, although it did not occur until many years 
afterwards, for his career was long and profitable. Suc- 
cess and impunity at length made him reckless and 
incautious, and he became so eager in the pursuit of his 
game, that sometimes it eluded his grasp. When he w r as 
expelled from Masonry, as I have already observed, the 
fellow opened a surreptitious Lodge in his own house, in 
accordance with a false principle, which he publicly 
avowed in his circulars, that every Lodge possesses an 
inherent power of acting on its own authority, and that 
any body of Masons, being not less in number than seven, 
are at full liberty,- from their inalienable rights, to open 
a Lodge when and where they please, to make Masons, 
and perform all the rites and ceremonies of "the Craft. 
In his own Lodge the fees were enormous, and he suc- 
ceeded in finding a competent number of dupes who 
were weak enough to submit to the imposition. 

"Now it appears," said the Square, "that he consid- 
ered himself to be the sole mvfructaarius of the property, 
both of his Lodge and trumpery publications; and, there- 
fore, though he charged unprecedented prices for certain 
miserable engravings which were intended to elucidate 
his system of Masonry, yet he frequently succeeded in 
defrauding his workmen of the fair profits of their honest 
labour, by persuading them to be initiated in his Lodge. 
A poor fellow, named Smith, was thus victimized. When 
he sent in his bill for work done, Finch, as usual, favoured 
him with a cross account for masonic instruction. Smith 
refused to pay the demand, and brought an action to 
recover the sum of .£4. 2.?., as balance of an account for 
engraving and printing Finch's masonic pictures. As a 
set-off against this demand, Finch was imprudent enough 
to plead that Smith was indebted to him <£16. 19s. 6d. 
for initiation, passing, raising, and instruction in various 
degrees of Masonry at the Independent Lodge in his own 
house. Smith brought forward Dr, Hemming, Past S. 
Gr. W., and Brothers White and Harper, the Grand Sec- 
retaries, as witnesses, w r ho proved that Finch was not 
authorized to open any such Lodge, to make Masons, or 
to give instructions in Masonry; and that his whole 
system was an imposition on the public, which ought 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 20? 

not to be suffered to exist in a civilized country, or 
remain uiuler the protection of its laws. 

" The judge therefore ruled," continued the Square, 
" that as it had been clearly proved that Finch was an 
impostor, his claim could not be legal ; that his conduct 
was unjustifiable; and as he had been repudiated by the 
Fraternity, he stood before the Masonic world as an 
outlaw without a claim to protection. The jury gave 
their verdict accordingly for the full amount of the 
engraver's demand. 

" In consequence of this defeat, Finch issued a manifesto, 
in which he made the following extraordinary disclosure, 
although few persons were found credulous enough to 
believe it. 'About four years ago,' so runs the docu- 
ment, ' our worthy and respectable Kabee, the Master of 
the Lodge at Hampton Court, was deputed by his 
Brethren at that place, and parts adjacent, to w T ait on me 
(W. Finch), and solicit my attendance at Hampton, to 
instruct the Brethren in various parts of Masonry. The 
evening was fixed for holding a conclave and Encamp- 
ment in the degree of Knights Templars, &c, in which 
my assistance was most earnestly solicited, to conduct 
the business of the evening, and to make several Brothers. 
Agreeably to this request, I attended; and Dr. Hem- 
ming was one of the party. He assisted me as one of 
my officers ; acted according to my instructions ; agreed 
with all my systems; and paid me five guineas for my 
trouble. Now I call upon Dr. Hemming to deny any 
part of this statement if he can ; and had he not been so 
extremely officious as to have come forward in an action 
for debt wherein I was chiefly concerned, I should not 
have thus exposed him.' 

" This statement, which is in every respect unworthy 
of credit," the Square continued, " was followed by an 
attempt to renew the schism, after the union between 
the two sections had been effected ; and, for this purpose, 
he invited the Lodges to secede under a statement of 
imaginary grievances, sustained by himself. And, in the 
year 1815, he dispersed a circular amongst the Fraternity, 
in -which he broadly asserted that ' a vast number of 
Brethren view with regret and concern, that since the 
union has taken place, the inundation of modern innova- 



208 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tions, and the exclusion of most of the ancient rules and 
ceremonies, have given such umbrage to a great number 
of old Masons, that nearly fifty Lodges in town and coun- 
try have already withdrawn from the Union. That the 
union between the Athols and Moderns seems to be but 
a temporary measure towards the restoration of perfect 
harmony ; for whilst they continue to deviate from the 
ancient landmarks, and pursue their persecutions against 
the R. W. M. of the Independent Lodge of Universality 
(himself), it only tends to widen the breach which 
friendly means might contribute to heal. That the 
Grand Lodge have violated the ancient landmarks of the 
Order, which they entered into with the Brethren when 
they constituted a Grand Lodge in the year 1717, and 
which bound them, by the most solemn engagements, to 
preserve inviolate in all time coming ; and by virtue of 
which they were recognized as a Grand Lodge, and held 
their power as such, on this tenure only. Ity the violation 
of those acts, their power as a Grand Lodge cannot 
henceforth have any legal existence ; as they have can- 
celled their own authority by this infraction on their own 
voluntary act and deed. That every Lodge may, there- 
fore, act independently, &c.' 

"And he further said, in his Preface to another publi- 
cation in 1816, ' On the Origin of Masonry,' — 'I am well 
convinced in my own mind that these individuals (Dr. 
Hemming and the two Grand Secretaries) would almost 
as soon lose their office as have the present work made 
public ; I have, therefore, thought proper to oblige them 
with its publication ; and since they have compelled me 
to withdraw the veil, I shall give publicity to several 
other matters that I know will prove highly acceptable 
to these generous gentlemen, unless sufficient remuneration 
is made me for the loss sustained by their ill-judged inter- 
ference. 1 

"After these futile attempts, we heard no more of Bro. 
W. Finch. He had played out his game, and lost it. 
From thenceforth he degenerated into an ignoble obscu- 
rity, and died in the most abject poverty ; yet, as he 
created some sensation at the time, I could not consist- 
ently avoid giving you. a brief but connected history of 
his proceedings. And I have been rather more diffuse on 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 209 

the subject than I originally intended, for the purpose of 
illustrating the certain consequences of a breach of dis- 
cipline, and disobedience to masonic law. 

"And now," the Square continued, " after leading you, 
as John Bunyan did his pilgrims, through the gardens of 
Beelzebub, to show you the forbidden fruit, rank and 
unwholesome, that flourishes there — the apples of char- 
latanism, the grapes of Antimasonry, and the cowans' figs, 
not particularly wholesome, I must return to the ever- 
blooming delectable mountains and sunny vales, which 
are situate in the midst of a Lodge, just, perfect and 
regular, when it is open, but closely tyled. 

''The eighteenth century was the age of clubs," said 
the Square, "and their public suppers were generally 
scenes of unmixed, though rather turbulent enjoyment ; 
but there was a festive gratification thrown over a masonic 
banquet, which was unapproachable by any other society. 
Even the celebrated Heidegger, the arbiter eleganliarum 
of high life, was often heard to say, that if he had not 
been a Mason, he should never have had a perfect zest for 
the exercise of his art. It is not in the viands (they are 
the same everywhere), it is not the wines — we cannot 
boast of any superiority there. The secret may be found 
in the congeniality of feeling which mutually exists 
amongst the Brethren — knit together by closer ties — 
cemented by a chain of more sincere and disinterested 
affection — each and all being determined to give and re- 
ceive pleasure — to be happy themselves, and the source 
of happiness to others. By this means a Lodge of true- 
hearted Brothers, during its hours of relaxation and re- 
freshment, is a region of peace, and the patented abode 
of good temper and unmixed enjoyment. 

" This result," said the Square, " arises Out of a com- 
munity of interests, so nicely balanced and regulated by 
the Constitutions of the Order, that being directed by 
Wisdom, supported by Strength, and ornamented by 
Beauty, harmony establishes itself without any artificial 
assistance; and the Lodge, like a well constructed machine, 
true in all its parts and proportions, performs its work 
with the most perfect accuracy and unvarying correct- 
ness. Interests seldom clash ; each officer's duty being 
so clearly defined as not to admit of any mistake ; the 
springs and wheels execute their respective functions so 



210 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

truly, as to preserve their symmetry, and contribute to 
the beauty, magnificence, and durability of the whole. 

" This exact regularity, as I once heard Bro. Calcott 
say," continued the Square, "so far from occasioning a 
melancholy seriousness, diffuses the most pure delights; 
and the bright effects of enjoyment and hilarity shine 
forth in the countenance. It is true that appearances 
are sometimes a little more sprightly than ordinary, but 
decency runs no risk of violation ; it is merely wisdom in 
good humour. For if a Brother should so far forget him- 
self as to use any improper expressions, a formidable sign 
would immediately recall him to his duty. A Brother may 
mistake as a man, but he has ample means of recovering 
himself as a Freemason. And although order and decorum 
are always scrupulously observed in our Lodges, we do 
not exclude gaiety and cheerful enjoyment. The con- 
versation is always animated, and the kind and brotherly 
cordiality that is found there, gives rise to the most 
pleasing reflections. 

" These particulars may justly recall to our minds the 
happy time of the divine Astrea, when there was neither 
superiority nor subordination, because men were as yet 
untainted by vice on the one hand, and uncorrupted by 
licentiousness on the other." 



211 



CHAPTER XII. 

COWAXS. JOHN DENT. 

1794—1798. 



"It is frequently urged against Freemasonry, that some of thost, 
who belong to it are intemperate, profligate, and vicious. But nothing 
can be more unfair or unjust than to depreciate or condemn any in- 
stitution, good in itself, on account of the faults of those who pretend 
to adhere to it. The abuse of a thing is no valid objection to its in- 
herent goodness. Worthless characters are to be found occasionally 
in the very best institutions upon earth." — Harris. 

" Nothing is more common than for giddy young men, just enter- 
ing into life, to join the Society with the mere sinister view of extend- 
ing their connections. Such men dissipate their time, money, and 
attention, in running about from one Lodge to another, where they 
rather aim to distinguish themselves in the licentious character of 
jolly companions, than in the more discreet one of steady good 
Masons." — Noorthouck. 

" Let Cowans, therefore, and the upstart fry 
Of Gormagons, our well-earn'd praise deny, 
Our secrets let them as they will deride, 
For thus the fabled fox the grapes decried, 
While we superior to their malice live, 
And freely their conjectures will forgive." 

Masoxic Prologue, 1770. 



, "I remember," the Square continued, "and it is one 
of the earliest circumstances which has been imprinted 
on my memory, that after the great fire of London, 1666, 
when the re-edification of St. Paul's was in progress, the 
surveyor was setting out the dimensions of the great 
dome, and had fixed upon the centre, a common labourer 
was ordered to bring a flat stone from the heaps of rub- 
bish (such as should first come to hand), to be laid for a 
mark and direction to the masons : the stone, which was 
immediately brought and laid down for that purpose, 
happened to be a piece of a gravestone, with nothing re- 
maining of the inscription but this single word, in large 
capitals, — EESURGrAM. This circumstance made so 



212 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

strong an impression on the mind of Sir Christopher 
Wren, that he caused a Phoenix, rising from the flames, 
with the motto Rcsurgam inscribed beneath, to be sculp- 
tured in the tympanum of the south pediment above the 
portico, as emblematical of the reconstruction of the 
church after the fire. 1 

"This circumstance occurred in the year 1715," the 
Square observed, "and referred not merely to the re-edi- 
fying of the cathedral, but also to the restoration of 
ancient Masonry, which was accomplished about the 
same period, and is supposed to have a further allusion 
to the revivification of the Order, by the reunion of 
ancient and modern Masons, that was now in progress, 
and actually completed within a few years from the 
present period. The preparations for this great event 
were already arranged, and our present R. W. M., Bro. 
John Dent, was one of the influential parties who 
brought it about. 

"He was elevated to the chair on St. John's Day, 
1794, and his inaugural address was received with accla- 
mations. It was to this effect : — 

" 'Brethren, by a unanimous vote you have elevated 
me to the proud distinction of R. W. M. of one of the 
oldest Lodges on record. Invested with the Jewel of 
that far-famed architect Sir Christopher Wren, I will 
take especial care that its brilliancy shall not be sullied 
in my possession. I trust you will never have occasion 
to reflect that your confidence has been misplaced. I 
have too high a respect for the system to allow its bene- 
ficial operation to be jeoparded by any species of neglect 
or moral delinquency; and I trust, that while I adhere 
to the general Constitutions of Masonry, and the pro- 
visions of our Bye-Laws myself, I shall be enabled, with 
your kind co-operation, to prevent their infraction by 
others. 

"'We have all much to learn,' he continued, with 
becoming humility, ' and it will be our own fault if we 

1 Mr. Bray ley conjectures that the stone which was thus brought to 
Sir Christopher was the same as had been provided in commemora- 
tion of Dr. King, who preached the sermon before James the First, 
for promoting the rebuilding of St. Paul's; and who directed by his 
will that a plain stone only, with the word Eesuegam, should record 
his memory. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 213 

do not gladly embrace every opportunity which presents 
itself, in the labours of the Lodge, of improving our 
minds, and correcting our morals; for while Masonry 
tolerates private judgment in matters of religion and 
politics, and even forbids the introduction of questions 
which may produce a diversity of opinion on those ex- 
citing subjects, it enters very largely on the sacred duties 
of morality, and expatiates, with a pardonable enthusi- 
asm, on almost all the Christian graces and perfections. 

"'In the First Degree, we find many types of the 
Great Atonement, by which, according to the repeated 
promises made to the patriarchs and prophets in the Old 
Testament, original sin was to be expiated, and mankind 
placed in a condition of salvation. And the Lecture 
contains a series of significant symbols, which inculcate 
the morality of the New Testament. The first clause 
exhibits an emblem which reminds the Brethren of the 
necessity of observing a strict attention to silence or 
secrecy in their commerce with the world, because it is 
a Jewel of inestimable value, derived from the practice 
of the Deity, in concealing from his creatures the secret 
mysteries of his providence. And this is not only the 
duty of a Mason, but of every person who is desirous of 
maintaining a spotless reputation amongst his fellows. 
For instance, if a friend intrusts a secret to your keep- 
ing, it is with a tacit understanding that it shall be pre- 
served inviolate, for a babbler or a tale-bearer is a char- 
acter universally despised, and deservedly scouted from 
civil society. He who betrays a secret is guilty of treason 
to his friend. What confidence can be placed in any 
one who has been so indiscreet as to violate a sacred 
pledge*? You might as well pour water into a sieve 
under the impression that it will not escape, as to pour 
your griefs and sorrows into the bosom of a man who 
will communicate to the next person he meets every 
fact which you are desirous of concealing from the world. 

" 'The same subject,' Bro. Dent continued, 'is recurred 
to in the Third Degree, where you have each undertaken 
to keep a Brother's secrets as carefully as you would 
conceal your own. And for this reason, that the betray- 
ing of such a trust might do him the greatest injury he 
could possibly sustain ; it would be like the villany of 
an assassin, who lurks in darkness to inflict a mortal 
15 



214 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

wound upon his adversary when unarmed and least pre- 
pared to meet an enemy. And so careful is Freemasonry 
in enforcing an observance of this duty, that it forms a 
part of the solemn obligation which every Mason enters 
into at his initiation, and is repeated with additional 
solemnity at the commencement of each degree. And 
it will not be too much to anticipate that by an attention 
to this one duty the Fraternity will prove themselves 
more worthy of the confidence of their friends ; and the 
profession of Masonry will thus conduce not only to 
their own peace and comfort, but to the general benefit 
of society. 

" ' The E. A. P. Lecture then proceeds to explain the 
tendency of those expressive ceremonies which took place 
at your initiation, for the purpose of showing that the 
most minute observance was not without its moral sig- 
nification, and calculated to contribute its powerful aid 
towards promoting the great design of the Institution, 
the improvement of the reasoning faculties, the cultiva- 
tion of the intellect, and a gradual progress in the science 
of virtuous living. You are here first introduced to 
those Great Lights which are to be your guides and 
directors in passing through the chequered scenes of good 
and evil with which this transitory world abounds. This 
constitutes the abiding excellence of the Order; for an 
institution founded on the covenant between God and 
man can never be shaken, unless its peculiar principles 
be abandoned by an alteration of its standing landmarks. 
The Bible is the great charter of a Mason's privileges, 
and the basis on which he rests his hopes of salvation. 
The Square teaches us our social and relative duties, and 
represents the golden rule which the Redeemer proposed 
as the distinguishing portraiture of a Christian — viz., to 
do to others as we would have them under similar cir- 
cumstances do to us; to render strict justice in all our 
undertakings, and to study to promote the blessings of 
order, harmony, and brotherly love. 

" ' Thus, my Brethren, you will perceive that Freema- 
sonry is intended to make you just and honest in your 
dealings with your fellow-creatures, and to explain and 
simplify the duties which the Christian religion enjoins 
on all its sincere professors, that you may keep within 
Compass with all mankind as members of a common faith, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 215 

in the hope of sharing the rewards which are promised 
to all those who nobly earn the character of good and 
faithful servants of T. G. A. 0. T. U.'" 

At this point the Square made an abrupt transition, 
for the purpose of favouring me with a gratuitous dis- 
quisition on the beauties of the Order. "Freemasonry," 
he said, "is in itself the most perfect and sublime Society 
existing in the world of mere human establishment. It 
is calculated to promote the happiness and comfort of 
all ranks and descriptions of men, when practised in its 
intrinsic purity. It is a Society of peace, where nothing 
is allowed to enter which may disturb the equanimity of 
its Members. The jarring elements of discord are ban- 
ished, under the presidency of a judicious governor, 
whose conduct tacitly pronounces the ancient formula of 
exclusion, 

1 Procul, procul esto profani !' 

Good temper prevails, and nothing is tolerated but 
suavity of manners, and mutual courtesy of deportment. 

" There are many methods of producing human felicity, 
and Masonry absorbs them all. We have science — we 
have morality — we have benevolence — we have brother- 
ly love and sacred truth ; and how exalted soever may be 
the conceptions of any individual respecting the mode 
of disseminating universal happiness, and producing the 
amelioration of mankind, his ideas may be amply de- 
veloped, and his plans for the advantage of his species 
carried out in the comprehensive system of Masonry. 
All the peculiar aspirations of a Howard or a Fry are 
embraced in the wide grasp of masonic beneficence. 
Peace on earth is its object, Christian morality its prac- 
tice, and the rewards of virtue its end. 

"Whoever is desirous of hearing useful and salutary 
doctrines, should enter into a Masons' Lodge, and there 
his wishes will be gratified. Is he anxious to learn what 
will procure him the veneration and respect of his 
species? Let him become acquainted with the Lectures 
of Masonry; let him mark, learn, and inwardly digest 
them, and his hopes will not be disappointed. Does he 
require some general rules, by the use of which he may 
perform his duty to God acceptably ? — Freemasonry will 
teach them. Does he wish to learn how he may profit- 



216 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ably discharge his duty to his neighbour? Does he 
ardently desire the knowledge of a precept by which he 
may conduct himself impartially, and with strict and 
equal justice in all his undertakings? — Let him resort to 
the Lodge, and there he will be taught these invaluable 
maxims. Does he study to avoid the Scylla of intemper- 
ance, or the Charybdis of slander and evil speaking, that 
he may walk in the narrow path which will preserve his 
self-respect without violating the divine commands? — 
He may attain this comparative degree of perfection by 
following the teaching of Masonry." 

The Square now balancing upon one leg, and spinning 
half round, continued, inquiringly, without expecting 
me to answer, but rather speaking in soliloquy — "And 
what do you think the cowans and opposers of Masonry 
say to the above statement ? Why," he answered, as he 
completed the circle, " they triumphantly urge — If this 
be true, why do you keep it to yourselves? — why do 
you not reveal it for the benefit of mankind? And if it 
be not true, why do you so pertinaciously assert and. 
reiterate a falsehood ? There's your dilemma — shake your- 
selves clear of it if you can. 

"Why, a mere tyro," said the Square, "would easily 
avoid its formidable horns, by merely asking in return, 
how is it that T. G. A. 0. T. U. conceals from mankind 
the secret mysteries of his providence ? For the wisest 
of men cannot penetrate into the arcana of heaven, nor 
can they divine to-day what to-morrow may bring forth. 

" We endeavour to sustain our character as Masons 
creditably, by avoiding all meanness and dissimulation ; 
and, though we are tenacious of our secrets as a belted 
knight of his honour, yet we have no wish to keep them 
entirely to ourselves, or to withhold information from 
any worthy man who may desire to participate legiti- 
mately in the benefits to be derived from the Craft. On 
the contrary, we are ever ready to communicate our 
mysteries to all candidates who are freeborn and of good 
report, if they be willing to accept the conditions. For, 
though we close our Lodges against impertinent curi- 
osity, they are always open to the researches of liberal 
and consistent inquiry. 

" To this argument our impervious cowan turns a deaf 
ear, and cries out — Bah ! we don't want to know any 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 217 

thing about either you or your mummery, for we consider 
it to be a wretchedly selfish and exclusive pursuit. 

"A most lame and impotent conclusion," said the 
Square. " There is nothing selfish about it. It is an 
open letter, which every one may read — a rich mine, 
more valuable than the gold of Ophir, which every worthy 
Brother may explore, and bear away its exhaustless trea- 
sures without diminishing its intrinsic value ; nor did any 
one ever commence an earnest search into its hidden 
stores without reaping an ample reward. 

"Another class of Antimasons object," the Square pro- 
ceeded to say, " that we are Levellers, and strive to bring 
down every class of society to an equality of rank, and, 
therefore, they denounce the Institution as a dangerous 
nuisance, which ought to be abolished. 

" So prejudice misrepresents truth," replied my com- 
municative mentor. "It is admitted that, in masonic 
inquiries, there is a perfect equality — not that equality 
which would level the distinctions of civil and social life, 
but a moral equality, which places all mankind on a 
level in the eye of G-od, with whom there is no respect 
of persons. Can that be a levelling system which teaches, 
both by precept and example, that every man must con- 
sider himself subject to the higher powers? The very 
construction of Masonry forms a practical commentary 
on its teaching, for there is no other institution which is 
so stringent in exacting a due subordination to its rulers 
and governors, supreme and subordinate. We meet on 
the level in our mutual search after the hidden secrets 
of science ; but our moral equality, even in the Lodge, 
is moderated by the dictates of justice and reason; for 
honour and respect are uniformly awarded to those who 
deserve them, and it is the industrious and sober inquirers 
who realize the benefit, and not the idle and dissolute. 

"Our privileges and advantages are strictly equal," 
the Square continued. " We all start from one common 
point. But the face of things changes as we proceed ; 
and individuals who have shown themselves earnestly 
desirous of meriting the esteem of the Fraternity, are 
sure to rise to offices of distinction ; while those who 
are careless and indifferent, and do not improve their 
advantages, or who turn back, and, like Pliable in the 
'Pilgrim's Progress,' leer away on the other side, being 



21S THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ashamed of what they have clone, will remain all their 
life long , on the threshold, and never emerge from the 
slough of despond in which their energies have been 
concentrated and swallowed up. 

"I remember," said the Square, "a curious scene 
which took place in the Lodge-room, before the Lodge 
was opened, which it may be useful to record. It was in 
the month of March, 1797, the tyler having disposed the 
Lodge in order, and laid the Officers' Jewels on their re- 
spective cushions, when I was surprised by the entrance, 
unusually early, of a zealous Brother, who looked cau- 
tiously round the Lodge-room to ascertain, as I conjec- 
tured, whether any other person were present ; and, 
being satisfied that he was alone, he slipped quietly into 
the Master's chair, and thus soliloquized: — 

" 'Well, I think I have half an hour free from inter- 
ruption, and I will, therefore, rehearse a section of the 
Lecture. Bro. S. W., where did you and I first meet? 
On the Level. Where hope to part? On the Square. 
And what did you come here to do ?' — A pause. — ' No, 
that's incorrect — let me see — from whence come you? 
From the West. Whither going? To the East. What 
for ? Pish ! My memory is once more at fault. I wish 
I knew the ritual as well as our excellent R. W. M. 
Aye, now I have it. What induced you to leave the 
West and go to the East ? In search of a Brother, by 
whom I might be instructed in Masonry. Capital ! I 
hope I shall not be detected. What next? O — who are 
you that want instruction ? A Free and Accepted Mason. 
If I was Master of the Lodge, how I would astonish the 
Brethren ! And then, only think of being addressed by 
the honourable title of Right Worshipful — R. W. Sir 
this, and R. W. Sir that ; and, it is the R. Worshipful's 
will and pleasure ; and, your commands shall be obeyed, 
R. W. Sir. This is the glory that I covet ; and I trust 
the day is not far distant when these honours and dis- 
tinctions will be conferred upon me.' 

"And then he proceeded," said the Square, "with his 
agreeable amusement, sometimes right, and sometimes 
wrong, till he was interrupted by the entrance of Bro- 
thers Shelton and Marshall. 

"'Ha! Bro. Bell,' said the new-comers, 'you are 
early.' 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 219 

" It will be needless to tell you," the Square inter- 
posed, " that Bro. Bell vacated the chair when he heard 
them coming up stairs; and he replied, 'I should like 
to know who would not be early when such a treat is 
provided for him as the proceedings of a Masons' Lodge. 
And I have been anticipating the pleasure by endeavour- 
ing to repeat a portion of the Lecture.' 

"'Misspent time, misspent time,' Bro. Shelton re- 
sponded. 'Who cares about the Lectures now-a-days, 
except, perhaps, the Masters and Wardens, whose busi- 
ness it is to know them perfectly ; but to those who 
have no ambition for office, they are little better than a 
bore.' 

"At this observation," said the Square, " Bro. Marshall 
rubbed his hands with pleasure, in the hope of seeing 
Bro. Bell's enthusiasm lowered ; for he was known to be 
a zealous young man, who entertained a very exalted 
opinion of the Order ; while such men as Brothers Shel- 
ton and Marshall were mere sensualists, and embraced 
Freemasonry for the sake of its convivialities only. His 
glee was not unobserved by Bro. Bell, although he was 
at a loss to account for it ; and he replied — ' I am sorry 
to hear this, because I can scarcely believe that you are 
speaking the true sentiments of your heart. And if such 
really be your opinion, I am bound to conclude that it 
is singular, and not likely to have many abettors. The 
generality of our Brethren would unequivocally repudiate 
such a doctrine, and entertain a very indifferent opinion 
of those that avow it.' 

" ' You are quite mistaken,' said Bro. Marshall, full of 
mischief. ' A clear majority of our Brethren think with 
Bro. Shelton and myself on this subject.' And he gave 
a self-gratulatory sniff with his nose, as if conscious that 
he had said a good thing. 

"Bro. Bell appeared to be in the land of dreams," 
said the Square. " He muttered to himself — ' Is this 
real? Are these men hoaxing me? Or am I truly 
hearing stern though unpalatable truths?' At length he 
replied, 'I sincerely hope and trust you are joking, else 
why do you attend the Lodge — what other inducement 
can you possibly have ?' 

" The two new-comers looked at each other and 
smiled, as though they would have said, if they had been 



220 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUAHE. 

alone, that their companion was rather verdant in his 
ideas. At length Bro. Shelton returned — ' It is the 
refreshment, my dear Brother, the refreshment, the cheer- 
ful glass, the song and toast, the laugh, the joke, the 
sparkling conversation when labour is suspended. In 
our opinion, to quote the words of a favourite chorus — 

"A bumper, a bumper, a bumper of good liquor, 
Will end a contest quicker 
Than justice, judge, or vicar ; 
So fill each cheerful glass, 
And let good humour pass. 

"But if more deep the quarrel, 
I'd sooner drain the barrel, 
Than be that hateful fellow, 
That's crabbed when he's mellow. 
So fill each cheerful glass, 
And let good humour pass." 

Besides, what is Freemasonry intrinsically, that you 
would so earnestly entreat us to fall down and worship 
it?' 

" Til tell you what it is,' Bro. Bell replied; 'it is 
a beautiful system of morality, veiled in allegory, and 
illustrated by symbols.' 

" ' Illustrated,' said Bro. Shelton, with a sneer. ' Sym- 
bols are mentioned, I admit, in what you term the Lec- 
tures, but not by any means illustrated; and I should 
like to know, if you can tell me, why, in that technical 
code on which we are expected to pin our faith, the 
illustrations are so meagre ? 

" ' A fair question,' Bro. Bell responded, ' and shall be 
fairly answered. It would be difficult, and perhaps im- 
possible, to give a complete explanation of our symbols 
in any course of Lodge Lectures, because they are neces- 
sarily compressed into as narrow a compass as may be 
consistent with perspicuity, that human ingenuity may be 
able to devise. The emblems are so numerous and diversi- 
fied, and admit of such an extensive application, that 
volumes would be required to contain all that might be said 
on this interesting subject. And, therefore, those who 
aspire to a superior knowledge of Masonry, and are de- 
sirous of becoming distinguished Members of the Craft, 
will not be contented with simply mastering the Lodge 
Lectures, ample though they be, but will aspire, by 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 221 

using the accessories of reading, study, and serious medi- 
tation, to something of a higlier character, which may 
enable them to enlighten the Brethren, when they shall 
be called on to rule the Lodge, by imparting the fruits 
of their own experience, and by amplifying and explain- 
ing, in detail, the recondite mysteries embodied in types 
and symbols, as well as the doctrines of morality, which 
are veiled and hidden under an expressive series of sig- 
nificant allegories.' 

" * Allegories, indeed !' Bro. Marshall interposed. 
' Such as neither you nor I, nor any other person can 
possibly understand. And what benefit can be derived 
from such an unprofitable course of study and research?' 

" ' None whatever,' chimed in Bro. Shelton. 

".'I crave your pardon, Brethren,' said Bro. Bell ; * on 
the contrary, the profit will do infinitely more than com- 
pensate for the labour. It is clear to me, that whoever 
shall pursue this laudable course earnestly and assidu- 
ously, may very reasonably expect that it will be attended 
with success. It will make him a wiser and a better 
man, and secure for him a place amongst the venerated 
names by which our Society is dignified, and whom we 
delight to honour. The Craft will respect him ; the 
world will admire him ; and his name will descend to 
posterity, crowned with glory and immortality.' 

" ' Pshaw !' said Bro. Shelton. ' It is nothing but an 
unsubstantial shadow. Concealment is useless. The con- 
vivialities of Masonry are the only inducements which 
draw us to the Lodge. And as the Welsh peasantry are 
seldom absent from the sermon, on account of a sub- 
sidiary dance which follows the service, so we are will- 
ing to endure the tiresome Lecture, because we know 
that, like all other inflictions, each clause must have an 
end, and the Lodge be called from labour to refreshment. 
The sections are not very lengthy ; and, at the close of 
each, our forbearance is rewarded with an appropriate 
toast and song. And now you know the reason why we 
attend the Lodge.' 

" Having said this, Bro. Shelton turned away, and 
walked to the fire with an air which indicated that, after 
such an avowal, nothing further could be advanced on 
the subject. 

"Now, you will understand," said the Square, "that 



222 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Bros. Shelton and Marshall belonged to a certain party 
in the Lodge which constituted a feeble and uninfluential 
minority ; and they all entertained similar opinions on 
the uses and enjoyments of Masonry. It is also proba- 
ble that every Lodge in the kingdom might exhibit a few — 
some more and some less — of the same species ; men who 
entertain no respect for the science, and care little about 
the honours of Masonry. Their sole enjoyment centres 
in its convivialities, and they are callous to every other 
incitement. Each of these worthies could swallow, and 
carry off, without much inconvenience, his two bottles 
of wine on festive occasions, although, thanks to the 
general regulations of the Craft, this was practicable only 
at the quarterly suppers, and they seldom failed to take ad- 
vantage of so favourable an opportunity. Now, although 
these propensities were no secret to the Brethren with 
whom they were associated, yet, as they were sufficiently 
discreet to appear orderly and attentive during the de- 
livery of the Lectures, it was scarcely supposed that 
they held them in contempt ; and, therefore, when Bro. 
Shelton made the above explicit acknowledgment, Bro. 
Bell exclaimed, in the utmost surprise, at an open avowal 
which had never so much as entered into his imagination 
— in fact, he believed all Masons to be as enthusiastic as 
himself — ' As the Irishman says, this beats Bannagher, 
if you be really in earnest !' 

" ' Never was more earnest in my life.' Bro. Shelton 
replied, as he stood with his hands behind him, and his 
back to the fire ; ' and more than that, many of our 
Brethren entertain the same feeling. What say you, 
Mike V 

" ' I, for one, quite agree with you,' Bro. Marshall 
responded. ' I do not care a fig for the Lecture, or any 
such trumpery. The stoup, the flagon, and the bicker 
are my favourite symbols, and I love them better than 
Square, Level, and Plumb. And no exercise is so agreea- 
ble to me as charging, firing, and driving piles.' 

1 Give us some punch, and let it be strong, 
And we'll drink to the man that sang the last song.' 

" * Hip ! hip ! hip ! Three times three ! Hurrah ! 
That's my taste !' 

" ' Then,' replied Bro. Bell, ' you have opened my 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 223 

e}^es to an astounding fact, which nothing short of your 
own confession could have induced me to believe. But 
since you are so intensely devoted to these pursuits, 
perhaps you are able at least to tell me the masonic 
origin of this three times three, which seems to mono- 
polize your enthusiasm.' 

" The two Brethren were perplexed," said the Square. 
" It was a puzzling question, and they looked rather 
sheepish at being obliged to confess their ignorance 
respecting their own estimate of the peculiar excellence 
of Freemasonry. At length they acknowledged that 
they could not tell. 

" ' I thought as much,' said Bro. Bell. ' It was 
scarcely to be expected, with such views and propensities, 
that you would be able to say your own catechism. 
And I dare say you will thank me for enlightening you 
on the subject.' 

" ' They should gladly acknowledge the obligation,' 
they replied, ' although the enjoyment was not lessened 
because they were ignorant of its origin.' 

" ' You must know then,' Bro. Bell resumed, ' that in 
ancient times the E. A. P. degree was alone prevalent 
amongst the generality of our Lodges ; for no Brother 
could be passed and raised except in the Grand Lodge, and 
few availed themselves of the privilege. Hence they had 
only one sign, one token, and one word, and these three 
constituted the honours. But the Members of the Grand 
Lodge had three signs, three tokens, and three words, and, 
therefore, three times three were appropriately termed 
the Grand honours. By subsequent arrangements the 
power of conferring all the degrees has been conveyed 
to every Lodge under the Constitution of England, and 
the Grand honours have passed along with this privilege. 
Hence, all private Lodges are now at liberty to use them 
at their pleasure. But you would not surely have me to 
understand that you really prefer toasts and songs, and 
such rubbish, to the sublime speculations of pure masonic 
inquiry.' 

" ' I should be glad to know,' replied Bro. Shelton, 
' what you call pure masonic inquiry, apart from the 
rubbish, as you ignominiously term it, of the elements of 
conviviality? Or, in plainer language, what, in your 
opinion, is the, distinguishing characteristic of a Mason V 



224 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"'Virtue and decency, which ought always to be 
found in every true Mason's breast,' answered Bro. Bell, 
in the very words of the Lecture. 

" ' And how do you describe virtue, as a Mason?' Bro. 
Marshall asked. 

" ' Virtue is the highest exercise of the mind,' said 
Bro. Bell, with some degree of enthusiasm in his man- 
ner ; ' the integrity, harmony, and just balance of affec- 
tion ; the health, strength, and beauty of the soul. The 
perfection of virtue is to give a full scope to reason ; to 
obey with alacrity the dictates of conscience ; to exercise 
the defensive passions with fortitude, the public with 
justice, and the private with temperance, each in its 
due proportion. To love and adore God, and to acqui- 
esce in his kind Providence with calm resignation, is the 
surest step towards testing our virtue, and an approach 
to perfection and happiness ; as a deviation therefrom is 
to that of vice and misery. Such is virtue as it is 
described in the Lectures of Masonry. But independ- 
ently of this, have you no pride in- the privilege of meet- 
ing friends and Brothers in a just and perfect Lodge, 
where we feel that we are companions of princes and 
Brothers of kings V 

"'Absurd!' exclaimed Bro. Shelton. 'How can we 
be the Brothers of kings V 

" ' Because,' said Bro. Bell, ' a king, like ourselves, is 
but a man ; and though a crown may adorn his head, 
and a sceptre his hand, yet the blood in his veins is 
derived from the common parent of mankind, and is no 
better than that of his meanest subject. But Freema- 
sonry teaches us to regard our superiors with peculiar 
esteem when we see them divested of external grandeur, 
and condescending, in a badge of innocence and bond of 
friendship, to trace wisdom, and to follow virtue, assisted 
by those who are of a rank beneath them. Virtue is 
true nobility ; wisdom is the channel by which virtue is 
directed and conveyed ; wisdom and virtue only can dis- 
tinguish us as Masons.' 

" ' You said, if I understood you rightly,' Bro. Shelton 
replied, ' a just and perfect Lodge. Now, I should like 
to know what you mean by a just and perfect Lodge V 

" ' It is technical,' Bro. Bell answered, ' and is thus 
explained by a passage in our ordinary Lectures, which 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 225 

I should have thought, as you must have frequently heard 
it, would have been perfectly familiar to you. The Holy 
Bible, which is the primary supreme grand archive of 
Masonry, renders a Lodge just, because it contains that 
Sacred History which has been handed down to us by 
Moses, the Grand Master of the Lodge of Israel, and an 
inspired writer of God's commands. It also contains the 
writings of the prophets and apostles, together with a 
revelation of all the most eminent virtues, both moral 
and divine ; the incitement of our love and fear of God, 
the origin of all wisdom. It inspires us with spiritual 
discernment, enables us to practise the above virtues, 
which will confer the blessings of peace and comfort here, 
with a full assurance of celestial happiness in the world 
to come. The perfection of a Lodge relates to number ; 
and, as you w^ell know, cannot be held in the absence of 
its R. W. M., Wardens, and certain other Brethren.' 

" ' However this may be,' said Bro. Marshall, ' you 
cannot deny but the custom of renunciation by a shoe is 
childish and unmeaning.' 

" ' I am not prepared to make any such admission,' 
Bro. Bell replied. 'It is a good custom, and an ancient. 
In the eastern parts of the world, when an inferior per- 
son paid his respects to a prince or noble, he took off his 
shoes, as a symbol of humility, and left them outside the 
door of the apartment where the audience was granted. 
This custom was also observed during the performance of 
religious worship, and probably originated in the inter- 
view which Jehovah vouchsafed to Moses at the Burning 
Bush, where the latter w T as commanded to take his shoes 
from off his feet, because the ground on which he stood 
was holy. You have truly observed, that taking off a 
shoe is a token of renunciation. Amongst the Jews, when 
a man died childless, his nearest relation was bound to 
marry the widow. If, however, it was inconvenient to 
perform this duty, he took off his shoe in the presence 
of competent witnesses, and passed it to the next of kin, 
as a legal token that he renounced his claim ; and thus 
the inheritance was transferred. We Free and Accepted 
Masons copy the usage, to intimate that we renounce our 
own will and pleasure in all matters of Masonry, and 
undertake to render due obedience to its excellent laws 
and regulations.' 



226 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

'- * And you call this a sublime speculation,' said Bro. 
Marshall. ' Heaven defend me from the misery of such 
far-fetched elucidations !' And the recusants indulged 
themselves in a hearty laugh. 

" Bro. Bell was thunderstruck," said the Square. " He 
looked earnestly, first at one, and then at the other, being 
uncertain what argument to apply in a dilemma that he 
had never so much as contemplated. As a lover of pure 
Masonry, he did not believe it possible for any Brother, 
who had been regularly initiated, had attended the Lodge 
meetings with moderate punctuality, as the two Brothers 
before him had uniformly done, and, consequently, had 
heard the sublime doctrines which were periodically pro- 
mulgated there, — the pure morality, — the strong incen- 
tives to virtue — the teaching of active benevolence and 
God-like charity, accessible by the steps of faith and 
hope- — he had never reflected, I say, on the possibility of 
a nature capable of proving callous to these impressions, 
or impervious to the salutary workings of a course of 
discipline so fructifying to the soul of man. He could 
scarcely believe his ears. 

"It never occurred to him," the Square continued, 
" that these men were specimens of a class— that, as 
confirmed bon vivants, and wedded to the habits of hard 
drinking which characterized the j)eriod, they had no 
taste for the refinements of science, or the beauties of 
virtue. What ! he thought to himself, is it possible that 
the husk should be preferred to the fruit — the chaff to 
the grain — brass to gold ? Can a Mason be so perfectly 
insensate as to turn a deaf ear to the most sublime pre- 
cepts ever offered to the consideration of a being designed 
for immortality? Can the carnal so far preponderate 
over the spiritual as to stupify the feelings, and make 
them insensible to the aspirations of such a pure and holy 
morality as is enunciated in the teaching of a Masons' 
Lodge ? 

" He looked at them again, supposing he might be 
under some disagreeable hallucination, that cast a baleful 
influence over his judgment ; but there they stood visibly 
before him, with the broad grin of undisguised amuse- 
ment still upon their faces, enjoying the unmistakable 
marks of astonishment which he so visibly displayed. 
How long he would have stood, or what might have 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 227 

been the ultimate result of his mental deliberations, it 
may be difficult to say, for they were cut short by Bro. 
Shelton, who said, as if for the purpose of diverting the 
conversation into a new channel, ' You know that noisy 
and troublesome fellow Browne, don't you?' 

" ' Of the Corinthian Lodge, No. 18S, Strand,' said 
Bro. Bell. 

" 'The same.' 

" ' I know him for no good,' Bro. Bell responded. ' I 
am told that his chief pleasure consists in keeping the 
Lodge in hot water, by fomenting disputes among the 
Brethren.' 

" 'And proposing subjects for discussion,' added Bro. 
Marshall, ' on which he knows there exists a diversity of 
opinion, for the purpose of gloating, like the agent of 
evil, over the confusion which he has himself created.' 

" ' A delectable amusement truly,' said Bro. Bell ; 
' but what of him ?' 

" ' He was ambitious of becoming Master of the Lodge 
at the last election of officers,' returned Bro. Shelton; 
' but the Members, under the apprehension of a stormy 
year, if the power were placed in such dubious hands, 
rejected him in favour of a much younger but more 
peaceable Brother ; and he was so exasperated by defeat, 
that he withdrew himself from the Lodge.' 

" ' To the unfeigned satisfaction of all the Brethren,' 
Bro. Bell interposed. 

" ' You may truly say that,' added Bro. Shelton ; 
'but further — in revenge, he threatens to disclose the 
secret.' 

" ' He may threaten with safety,' said Bro. Bell ; ' but 
fortunately it is not in his power to execute any such 
design. Let him make the attempt, and he will know, 
by experience, how few persons are to be found who 
will extend their credit to a self-proclaimed perjurer. 
Besides, he cannot betray a secret which he does not 
know.' 

" ' Not know !' exclaimed Bro. Shelton, in unfeigned 
amazement, ' what do you mean ? With all his faults, 
he has the reputation of being a clever and intelligen 
Mason.' 

" ' Granted,' Bro. Bell replied ; ' but he stll may be 



228 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

profoundly ignorant of the peculiar secrets of the 
Order.' 2 

" ' Explain, explain,' said Bro. Marshall, ' you speak 
in riddles.' 

" ' That is easily done. I dare say you both think, as 
he doubtless does, that you are acquainted with the 
secret of Masonry, and that you could easily divulge it 
if you were so inclined. It is quite a mistake, my dear 
fellows. You know nothing about the matter. The 
true secrets are of a deep and recondite nature, and not 
so easily mastered.' 

" The two Brothers," said the Square, " looked the 
picture of surprise and incredulity, while Bro. Bell 
went on. 

" ' You would like me to tell you what the secrets are ; 
but I am in great doubt respecting my ability to gratify 
you. Ask Franklin whether he understands the secrets 
of electricity, and he will promptly answer in the nega- 
tive. He has devoted his life to its improvement, but 
the secret remains undiscovered. Ask Watt whether he 
knows the secret power of steam, and you will receive 
the same reply. What did the learned Bishop Sanderson 
say about the secret or mystery of godliness ? Why, he 
said that we may as well think to grasp the earth in our 
fist, or to empty the sea with a pitcher, as to compre- 
hend these heavenly mysteries within our narrow under- 
standing. Puteus altus ; the well is deep, and our buck- 
ets, for want of cordage, will not reach near the bottom. 3 
No, no ; I am under no apprehension of any untoward 
consequences from the revelations of such a stupid fellow 
as Bro. Browne. 4 Besides, what sort of character at- 



2 Browne himself tacitly acknowledges this in his Introduction ; 
where he says, " to those who are not Masons the author is well con- 
vinced that he has by no means revealed any of the masonic myste- 
ries ; and by printing it in this abstruse manner he defies them to 
make out any part. And were even that possible, they would be 
just in the situation of one who should attempt to fire a pistol without 
powder, or erect a stately fabric without tools or materials." 

3 Sermon, ad Aulam, on 1 Tim. hi., 16. . 

4 There had already been published an attempted revelation of 
certain mysteries of Masonry in a work entitled " Remarkable Ruins 
and Romantic Prospects of North Britain, by Charles Cordiner, of 
Banff." London, Taylor, 1795. In this book the author founds a 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 229 

taches to a man who attempts to divulge the mysteries 
of Masonry ? Horace is very explicit on this point. H? 

4 Vetabo, qui Cereris sacrum 



Vulgarit arcana}, sub iisclem 

Sit trabibus, fragilcmque mecum 
Solvat phaselum ;' 

and so say I. And he adds, ' est et Jideli tuta silentio 
merccs ;' there is a certain reward for a faithful silence/ 

" ' But my good Brother,' said Bro. Shelton, ' whether 
he be capable of disclosing the secret or not, he may 
publish the Lectures and ceremonies.' 

" ' You mean his version of them,' replied Bro. Bell ; 
' but who will vouch for their accuracy ? 5 He is not 

theory of initiation on the device of the Abbey Seal of Arbroath, in 
the following words : — " This seal, of which I have given an engra- 
ving, evidently represents some formidable ceremony in a sacred 
place. Where a pontiff presides in state, one hand on his breast, 
expressive of seriousness ; the other stretched out at a right angle, 
holding a rod and cross, the badge of high office ; while he makes 
some awful appeals respecting a suppliant, who, in a loose robe, 
blindfolded, with seeming terror, kneels before the steps of an altar, 
as undergoing some severe humiliation ; while several attendants, 
with drawn swords, brandish them over his head. As some explana- 
tion of the above, it may be observed that there is a remarkable con- 
currence of design and resemblance of persons and attitudes, in the 
figures of the above seal, with those in a print accompanying a 
pamphlet on Masonry, published by an officer at Berlin ; and this is 
the more worthy of notice, because he there gives an account of the 
ceremonies of initiation ; and the prints are apposite representations 
of them. That which exhibits the manner of administering the tre- 
mendous oath of secresy, and of receiving the rudiments of the 
occult science at the communication of the first beams of fight, is a 
pretty exact counterpart of the figures on the seal." The original 
seal of the abbey is in my possession, and represents the death of 
Thomas a Becket, to whom the abbey was dedicated. 

5 Browne executed and published his trumpery under the title of 
" Browne's Masonic Master Key throughout the Three Degrees, by 
way of Polyglot, under the sanction of the Craft in general. Con- 
taining the exact mode of working, initiation, passing, and raising to 
the sublime degree of a Master. Also' the several duties of the Mas- 
ter, Officer, and Brethren while in the Lodge ; with every requisite 
to render the accomplished Mason. An Explanation of all the hiero- 
glyphics. The whole interspersed with Illustrations on Theology, 
Astronomy, Architecture, Arts, Sciences, &c. ; many of which are 
by the Editor. By John Browne, P. M. of six Lodges, and M. A.' 
London, Printed and sold by the Editor, No. 60, Snowhill. Price 
Five Shillings and Sixpence, interleaved. First Edition, 1798. Se- 
cond Edition, with additions, 1802. 
16 



230 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the first, nor will he be the last, who has decried, and 
attempted to expose to public contempt, our flourishing 
Institution ; as evil birds always prey on the sweetest 
fruit. Like Virgil's harpies, they endeavour to spoil what 
they have not the taste to enjoy. 

* At subitse horrifico lapsu de montibus adsunt 
Harpyise, et magnis quatiunt clangoribus alas : 
Diripiuntque dapes, contactuque omnia foedant 
Immundo ; turn vox tetrum dira inter odorem.' 

u3En., iii., 225. 

" ' I shall not certainly vouch for the accuracy of his 
disclosures,' said Bro. Shelton ; ' for in the ordinary 
affairs of life his veracity is by no means to be relied on. 
And if he anticipates that the profits of his threatened 
publication will be sufficiently remunerative to liquidate 
his debts, he may probably find himself mistaken.' 

" ' 0,' replied Bro. Bell, ' as to the profit of his experi- 
ment, I should conceive it would be the very last con- 
sideration that would influence a man like Browne. His 
principal object would be to gratify his egregious vanity 
by the indulgence of his pique against a Society which 
has virtually repudiated him. His vain-glorious promises 
may be classed in the same category with those of Dean 
Swift's Rosicrucian, who thus addresses his besotted 
dupes. ' Look here, ye blind and ignorant neophytes, 
and be enlightened by me. I have couched a very pro- 
found mystery in the number of Os multiplied by seven, 
and divided by nine. Also, if a devout Brother will pray 
fervently for sixty-three mornings, with a lively faith, 
and then transpose certain letters and syllables according 
to prescription, in the second and fifth sections, they will 
certainly reveal into a full receipt of the Opus Magnum. 
Lastly, whoever w T ill be at the pains to calculate the 
whole number of each letter in my Master Key, and 
sum up the difference exactly between the several num- 
bers, assigning the true natural cause for every such dif- 
ference ; the discoveries in the product will plentifully 
reward his labour. But then he must beware of buthus 
and sige; and be sure not to forget the qualities of aca- 
motli; a cujus lacrymis humecta prodit substantia, d nsu 
lucida, d tristitia solida, et d timore mobilis." 

" 'Ha! ha! ha! very good!' exclaimed Brothers Shel- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 231 

ton and Marshall together. ' I could almost fancy,' the 
former added, ' I see Bro. Browne standing on a barrel- 
end in the midst of an indiscriminate mob, and vending 
his wares, like a miserable quack doctor, in the very 
words you have put into his mouth. Did you never see 
such an empiric, Bro. Bell, with a score or two of gaping 
rustics about him, recommending his trumpery nostrums 
for all the ailments of life, by an unwearied repetition of 
the same unintelligible gibberish?' 

" 'There is no want of quacks,' Bro. Bell replied, 'to 
batten on the simple gullibility of John Bull; and I 
should not be surprised if he eagerly swallows the impo- 
sitions of our faithless Bro. Browne, and confers upon him 
the questionable distinction of an unenviable notoriety.' 

" ' But it is no matter,' Bro. Shelton chimed in. ' The 
very possibility of committing such a base encroachment 
on our rights and privileges, forms, in my opinion, a 
cogent argument against allowing every Brother to 
become master of the secret. Bro. Marshall and I have 
no such ambition. We are fully contented with our 
share of the convivialities, without wishing to understand 
more of Masonry than is contained in the songs and 
toasts.' 

" 'The rest,' said Bro. Marshall bluntly, 'is all hum- 
bug!' 

" 'Humbug!' exclaimed Bro. Bell, his blood rising to 
boiling heat, — and I do not know what might have en- 
sued," said the Square, " if the entrance of the R. W. M., 
and several Brethren, who had been waiting for him in the 
Tyler's room, had not put an end to the conversation. 
Brothers Shelton and Marshall were amused by his excite- 
ment ; for it is quite true that they were kept in coun- 
tenance by many Brethren, who were unfortunately more 
attached to refreshment than to labour." 



232 



CHAPTER XIIL 

BEGGING MASONS. STEPHEN JONES. 

1798—1800. 



" Old men for the most part are like old chronicles, that give you 
dull but true accounts of time past, and are worth knowing only on 
that score." — Swift. 

"Late hours, irregularities that impair the health of the body, and 
much more the faculties of the mind, create and increase family 
dissensions, and reflect a dishonour on Freemasonry, from which its 
intrinsic excellence cannot at all times redeem it in the public 
opinion." — Stephen Jones. 

" There's a difference between 
A beggar and a queen, 

And I'll tell you the reason why ; 
A queen cannot swagger, 
Nor get drunk like a beggar, 
Nor be half so happy as I." 

Bro. James Kobertson. 



"It was said by a periodical writer of the eighteenth 
century," the Square observed, in continuation of his 
interesting remarks, "while describing the abuses of 
science, — ' As this supposititious learning diffuses itself, 
the manner in which it operates upon the new provinces 
of life on which it encroaches, how soon it accommodates 
itself to a new range of subjects, elevates the low, 
amplifies the little, and decorates the vulgar. There is 
now no occupation so mean into which it has not found 
its way, and whose consequence it has not raised, from 
the maker of geometrical breeches, to the manufacturer 
of manuscript sermons. We all begin to exalt our tones 
and pretensions, and adopt a prouder language. Mr. 
Powell, the fire-eater, is a singular genius ; and Mendoza 
has more science than Johnson. I have heard of hiero- 
glyphical buckles ; so that our very shoes will want deci- 
phering, and the Coptic language must soon make part of 
the education of our Birmingham buckle-makers. Alpha- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 233 

betical buckles are become common; insomuch that, in 
teaching ourselves to talk with our lingers, we may begin 
with learning to spell with our toes. Our wigs are made 
upon principles, which used to be made upon blocks. Our 
chimneys are cured of smoking by professors; and a 
dancing-master engages to teach you the nine Orders of 
the Graces, and if you take forty lessons, will throw you 
in an eleemosynary hornpipe. Our servants are begin- 
ning, as my correspondent tells me, to read behind our 
carriages; and the Bond street lounger, with his breeches 
cut by a problem, has as much of the language at least 
of learning, as any servitor in black logics at Oxford.' 

"There is much truth in these quaint observations," 
continued the Square, "and the principle was unfortu- 
nately extended to Freemasonry, as will be apparent 
before my Revelations are concluded ; for a case in point 
occurred during the presidency of our new R. W. M., 
Bro. Stephen Jones, the friend, pupil, and admirer of 
Bro. Preston, who had been recently restored to the 
Craft with all his blooming honours thick upon him. 

" Bro. Jones was an active man, and had acquired, 
under the persevering instructions of this sincere friend, 
a competent knowledge, not merely of the ceremonies 
and lectures, but of the real object and design of the 
Order, which imparted a brilliancy to his other qualifica- 
tions for judicious government ; and he became one of 
our numerous good Masters, on whose breast I was proud 
to be seen glittering, like the morning dew on a rose- 
leaf in the merry month of June. 

"At his inauguration," continued the Square, "he gave 
evidence of such a correct knowledge of his duty as gave 
ample promise of a career of future usefulness ; for he 
was but a young man, and though his Wardenship had 
passed over irreproachably, it was quite uncertain how 
he would execute the complex duties of the Chair. Bad 
officers make bad members. There never was an ineffi- 
cient Lodge, but it owed its imperfection to the blunders 
or carelessness of its officers. If the Society be feeble, 
depend upon it the officers are naught. If the Master be 
mild and quiet in his manners, the Lodge will, most 
likely, be well governed and prosperous. 

" After the installation of Bro. Jones, the confidence 
of the Brethren was confirmed by a most eloquent inau- 



234 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

guration speech ; in the course of which he made a pro- 
position which he admitted might be considered Utopian ; 
i. c. to draw together, by the pure principles of Masonry, 
a select number of Brethren from the Fraternity at large, 
who, properly impressed by the tenets of the profession, 
shall have courage to carry them into practice, and make 
them the unerring guide of their conduct through life. 

"'Our Society, my Brethren,' he added, 'can only 
acquire its proper rank in the scale of human institutions, 
by a general and faithful observance of its own precepts ; 
and if this cannot be effected in its corporate capacity, 
very much may be expected from the junction of well- 
disposed individuals, who shall be inclined by the con- 
stant tenour of their lives to recommend the profession, 
and to prove that Freemasonry is only another term for 
inflexible virtue.' 

" Although the R. W. M. was desirous of inducing all 
the Members of the Lodge to be strictly zealous in the 
discharge of their respective duties," said the Square, 
" yet he never failed to caution them in friendly terms 
against the indulgence of an enthusiastic spirit, because, 
as he told them, they had other important demands on 
their time and talents, besides those which are imposed 
by Masonry, that ought not to be neglected. He would 
say to the younger and more ardent Brethren, ' that when 
a man becomes a Mason, he sees, if he be a sensual man, 
the pleasures of the table to indulge his appetite, and the 
splendour of decoration to gratify his sight; if, on the 
other hand, he be a thinking man, he enters an ample 
field for contemplation ; he receives the lessons of mora- 
lity and of virtue, and is taught, by an easy and pleasant 
process, to diffuse its blessings among mankind ; if he be 
a good man, he will illustrate the precept by his own 
conduct in life. But mark! to do this, it is not neces- 
sary that he should enroll his name among the members 
of I know not how many Lodges and Chapters, to shine 
a Z. in one, a R. W. M., a P. M., a S. W., a J. W., a T., 
and Heaven knows what, in others. Distinction, to be 
sure, is flattering ; but distinctions of this nature can only 
have charms for weak minds. 

"'Is your knowledge increased,' Bro. Jones contin- 
ued, ' or your power of doing good to your fellow-crea- 
tures enlarged, in a just ratio with the number of offices 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 235 

you fill, or the number of societies to which you belong? 
Are not the sage tenets and maxims transmitted to us 
from our ancestors by oral tradition all comprehended in 
one regular series of doctrines, made memorable by the 
ancient simplicity of their style, universally prevalent, 
and adapted alike to the minds of all nations and sects ? 
What is there new, that is not innovative? What 
fanciful, that is not corrupt? 

" 'If, then, one general system comprehend all that is 
valuable, all that is genuine, and that system be to be 
attained, in its primitive purity and perfection in one 
Lodge, whence results the need of attending others V 

" During this period," the Square observed, " the 
literature of Masonry assumed a lofty position, which 
empiricism found it difficult to reach. Some of the 
Lodges were fitted up with a philosophical apparatus, 
and scientific lectures were delivered, to the great edifi- 
cation of the Members. In others, the Brethren held 
special meetings for mutual improvement, which were 
termed Masonic Councils, and were usually holden on a 
Sunday evening. I disapproved of the practice, I assure 
you, but was compelled to be a consenting party. This 
system, I am inclined to think, was carried out in the 
provinces with greater spirit than in the metropolitan 
Lodges, although it is true that occasionally the discus- 
sions were deformed with untenable hypotheses, and 
speculative facts unsupported by authority, and altogether 
unreasonable and absurd. 

" However, we were not without our literary reunions," 
the Squre playfully continued, and he solaced himself 
with a scientific twirl on his dexter limb, to display his 
satisfaction ; " one of which occurred in 1799, the chair 
being occupied by Bro. Hannan, the author and actuary 
of the Masonic Benefit Society, which was matured and 
brought to perfection by his own individual exertions. 
And his zeal in its behalf ceased only with his life. He 
watched its progress carefully, and strained every nerve 
to make it instrumental in producing the welfare and 
happiness of the Fraternity. Bro. Preston terms its 
establishment an event of real importance, and so it was ; 
for what can be more important than the institution of a 
society for the relief of sick, aged, and imprisoned 



236 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Brethren, and for the protection of their widows and 
orphan children? H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, G. M., 
became its patron ; and the Earl of Moira, and the other 
acting officers of the Grand Lodge, its President and 
Vice-Presidents, and it was strongly recommended to the 
notice of the Provincial Grand Masters. Several thou- 
sand names were speedily enrolled ; and the contributions 
amounted to a very considerable sum of money. 

" But this is a digression," said the Square ; " we were 
speaking (we indeed!) of literary re-unions as applied to 
Masonry, one of which was holden under the presidency 
of Bro. Hannan. And there were present, Brothers 
Preston, Jones, Blackman, Meyrick, Shadbolt, Inwood, 
Henry Bell, Daniell, Deans, Lambert, and many other 
eminent Brethren. 

"The conversation w T as opened by a remark of the 
President, that he had been reading for the first time, 
although the book had been published more than ten 
years, 'A Recommendation of Brotherly Love on the 
Principles of Christianity,' by Bro. the Rev. James 
Wright, of Maybole; 1 in which, amongst many other 
sensible remarks, he judiciously observes that the office- 
bearers in every Lodge ought to take good heed to the 
characters of those whom they admit into the Society ; 
because an Accepted Mason is held by all foreigners, as 
well as by us, to be a term which implies a man of 
honour and virtue ; one who has a right to be admitted 
into the company of gentlemen of every description, and 
of the highest rank. By granting a man the privilege of 
being an Accepted Mason, ye do virtually give him a 
letter of recommendation to the acquaintance, and friend- 
ship, and confidence of a certain number of the most 
respectable characters that are to be found in every part 
of the world. 

" ' Bro. Wright is perfectly correct in his recommenda- 
tion,' said Bro. Bell ; ' for the absence of such caution 
may, and often does, introduce confusion into a Lodge, 
which it is difficult to allay. But Bro. Wright bears the 

1 "A Recommendation of Brotherly Love upon the Principles of 
Christianity ; to which is subjoined an Inquiry into the True Design 
of the Institution of Masonry." In Four Books. London, Murray, 
1786. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 237 

character of an experienced Mason, and his example has 
produced many genial and beneficial effects in the locality 
which enjoys the advantage of his presence.' 

" The Chairman then commended Bro. Sketchley, of 
Birmingham, for having done good service to Masonry 
by the publication of a useful little manual, 2 which 
contains some valuable little papers, particularly a curious 
lecture on Moral Geometry, 3 which contains a beautiful 
view of the ancient principles of the Art; and was 
written, as was thought, by Bro. Dunckerley ; and also a 
Funeral Oration, which has some good points, and is 
worthy of a perusal. 4 

" 'I have been much pleased,' said Bro. Jones, 'with 
two sermons, by my friend Turner, of Woolwich, 5 in 
which are many beautiful passages. What can be finer 
than this description of brotherly love ? — ' Verbal love is 
but painted fire; therefore, let His example, who went 
about doing good, be the pillar so elegantly adorned with 
lily-work, kindly directing and inflaming your humanity 
towards the Brethren. Meet the very lowest of them on 
the level of condescension, nor venture to despise the 
man for whom a Saviour died; that so you may. be able 
to hold up your heads when justice is laid to the line, 
and righteousness to the plummet. Let your pure benevo- 
lence spread every way, like the more than gem-studded 
arch of heaven, expanding even over your enemies when 
in distress, that you may prove yourselves to be the 
children of the Most High, who is benign to the unthank- 
ful, and to the evil. Philanthropy is not confined to 
name or sect, to climate or language. Like the power of 
attraction, which reaches from the largest to the smallest 
bodies in the universe, it unites men from the throne to 
the cottage.' ' 

"Bro. Blackman added his testimony to the superior 
excellence of Bro. Turner's preaching. But the crown 



2 "The Freemason's Repository, containing a Selection of valuable 
Discourses, Charges, Aphorisms, and Letters." Birmingham, Sketch- 
ley, 1786. 

3 Printed in the " Golden Remains," vol. i., p. 157. 

4 " An Oration on the Death of James Rollason," delivered by a 
Brother at the St. Paul's Lodge, Birmingham, 1789. 

5 " Two Discourses delivered at Woolwich." By the Rev. Daniel 
Turner. 1788. 



238 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

of his character is, that he is a good man as well as a 
worthy Mason — indeed, the one can scarcely exist with- 
out the other — and practises what he preaches. 

" Bro. Deans begged to call the attention of the Breth- 
ren to an interesting discussion in print between the 
Eev. H. E. Holder and Dr. Maryat, on the Philosophy of 
Masons, 6 in which it is satisfactorily proved that the 
masonic philosophy includes the practical doctrines of 
Christianity; the Cardinal and Theological Virtues; a 
firm belief in the atonement of Christ, leading to a 
resurrection from the dead, and eternal happiness in a 
future state. 

" 'In the absence of which doctrines,' Bro. Inwood 
observed, ' no true Christian would be found in the ranks 
of Masonry; which, though it be confessedly an institu- 
tion professing the principles of pure morality, yet, 
without some more recondite reference, it would be like 
the dry bones mentioned by Ezekiel the Prophet ; and it 
might, with equal propriety, be asked — Can these bones 
live? And the answer would be, They cannot live unless 
vitality be infused into them by the Great Architect of 
the Universe.' 

" 'Turn we now to another part of the kingdom,' said 
Bro. Lambert, ' and we shall find Dr. Jieans enlightening 
the Brethren of Southampton by an Oration at the Audit 
House, 7 in which the instruments of architecture, or 
moral Jewels of Masonry, are ably illustrated. Freema- 
sonry, he says, deals in hieroglyphics, symbols, allegories ; 
and to be qualified to reveal their meaning, a man must 
know more than a mere nominal Mason : the full inter- 
pretation of them, like that of the mysteries of old, is in 
select hands — has been committed only to those of tried 

6 "The Philosophy of Masons, in several Epistles from Egypt to 
a Nobleman." By Thomas Maryat, M. D., of Bristol. London, 
Ridgway, 1790. A Brief, but it is presumed a Sufficient Answer to 
the Philosophy of Masons." By the Rev. H. E. Holder. Bristol, 
Pine, 1791. "A Letter to the Rev. H. E. Holder, on his Brief and 
Sufficient Answer." By a Layman. Bristol, Rough, 1791. "An 
Answer to the Layman's Letter." By H. E. Holder. Bristol, Pine, 
1791. 

7 " An Oration pronounced at the Audit House in Southampton, on 
the occasion of laying the chief corner-stone of a building consecra- 
ted to the worship of God." By Bro. Thomas Jieans, M. D. South- 
ampton, J 792. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 239 

fidelity, who conceal it with suitable care : others, if not 
deficient in intellect, yet wanting industry or inclination 
to explore the penetralia of the Temple, are not qualified, 
if willing, to betray it. Hence the secresy which has so 
long distinguished the Fraternity. This secresy, how- 
ever, has been urged against our Institution as a crime ; 
but the wise know that secresy, properly maintained, is 
one of the best securities of social happiness : there is 
more private misery arising from an unqualified commu- 
nication of words and actions, than from the anger of the 
heavens.' 

" ' The Oration or Lecture in defence of Masonry,' 
said Bro. Meyrick, 'pronounced at Liverpool by Bro. 
McConochie, 8 successfully combats the wild assertions 
of Professor Robison, who accuses the Fraternity of a 
deeply-concocted plot to overturn all the religions and 
governments in the world. He contends, on the con- 
trary, that it contains nothing but a lovely display of 
benevolence to the distressed of every clime, without 
the distinction of birth, colour, or religion. Independent 
of every other consideration, he says, Masonry holds 
out two weighty arguments in its favour; — a universal 
language, understood by the Fraternity in every quarter 
of the globe; and a universal fund, for the relief of 
the distressed, whatever may be their religion, or 
country, or complexion. Our language is understood by 
every country, pretending to the slightest degree of culti- 
vation, under heaven. The Mason needs but to speak 
it, and he is fed, and clothed, and comforted by men 
who never saw his face before.' 

" ' In a review of the literary productions of our 
country Brethren,' Bro. Preston observed, ' we must not 
overlook the Rev. James Watson, P. M., of St. John's 
Lodge, Lancaster, who has published two excellent 
Addresses on Taking and Resigning the Chair. 9 They 
entitle him to our highest consideration, although I can 

8 " A short Defence of British Freemasonry ; being the substance 
of a Lecture delivered to Lodges No. 20, 25, and 299, Liverpool." 
By Bro. James McConochie. 

9 "An Address to the Brethren of St. John's Lodge, Lancaster." 
By the Rev. James Watson, on his Installation into the Chair of the 
Lodge, Dec. 27, 1794. "An Address to the same Brethren, on quit- 
ting the Chair," Dec. 28, 1795. 



240 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

scarcely subscribe to his distribution of the three De- 
grees. He says, the three Degrees into which Masonry 
is divided, seem to have an obvious and apt coincidence 
with the three progressive states of mankind, from the 
creation to the end of time. The first is emblematic of 
man's state of nature, from his first disobedience to the 
time of God's covenant with Abraham, and the estab- 
lishment of the Jewish Economy. The second, from 
that period to the era of the last, full, and perfect Reve- 
lation from Heaven to mankind, made by our Great 
Redeemer. The third, comprehending the glorious in- 
terval of the Christian Dispensation, down to the con- 
summation of all things.' 

" ' I believe,' Bro. Shadbolt observed, ' that our learned 
and intelligent Brother Hutchinson first promulgated 
that opinion, for I am not aware that it can be traced to 
any higher antiquity. A reference to the three ages of 
man would, I think, be more orthodox.' 

"'I am rather inclined,' Bro. Preston replied, ' to 
make the reference scientific. According to my view, 
the First Degree enforces the duties of morality, and im- 
prints on the memory the noblest principles that can 
adorn the human mind. The Second Degree extends 
the plan, and comprehends a more diffusive system of 
knowledge by the study of the liberal sciences, especially 
geometry, which is established as the basis of our Art. 
While, in the Third Degree, every circumstance that 
respects government and system, ancient lore and deep 
research, curious invention and ingenious discovery, is 
collected and accurately traced." 

"'Who is to decide when doctors disagree?' Bro. 
Daniell asked, laughingly. 

" ' My dear sir,' Bro. Preston replied, ' this is an open 
question, on which every Brother is entitled to form his 
own opinion.' 

" ' I am afraid we are slightly wandering from our sub- 
ject,' Bro. Hannan interposed, ' and we must not omit 
to do justice to the production of a Rev. and esteemed 
Brother, although he be present, when masonic literature 
is the theme. I allude to Bro. Inwood's volume of sermons, 
just published, 10 which would be creditable to any body 

10 "Sermons; in which are explained and enforced the Religious, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 241 

of men in the kingdom, not excepting the profession to 
which he himself belongs, teeming, as it does, with the 
brightest emanations of learning and talent. If the 
enunciation of the purest principles of Masonry and 
Christianity, expressed in chaste and beautiful language, 
and enforced by unadorned eloquence, be entitled to com- 
mendation, then Bro. Inwood's Masonic Sermons will re- 
ceive the universal welcome of the Craft.' 

" * I beg to be permitted to add my testimony,' said 
Bro. Preston, ' to the exceeding beauty and excellence of 
these Sermons, which dignify and adorn the literature of 
Masonry.' 

" « And I,' said Bro. Jones. A mark of approbation 
which was echoed by every person present. 

" ' Dear Brethren,' said Bro. Inwood, ' your eulogium 
is greater than my simple compositions merit. I have 
endeavoured to preserve unimpaired what I conceive to 
be the general and particular bearings of the Order, and 
it is not my fault if I have been unsuccessful. But the 
encomiums which you have thought proper to bestow in 
the presence of such a company of distinguished Brethren, 
convince me that I have not had the misfortune to fail. 
I am proud of your favourable opinion, and the value of 
the discourses will be enhanced in my own estimation, 
after having been thus honoured with your approbation.' 

"A few evenings after this literary reunion," continued 
the Square, " the subject of begging Masons, and the 
impositions practised on the liberality of the Craft by 
mendicants travelling with false certificates, was intro- 
duced by Bro. Arthur Tegart, during the hour of refresh- 
ment ; and the Treasurer of the Lodge communicated 
some interesting facts which had occurred to him in the 
discharge of his official duties since the previous Lodge. 

" But to make the subject intelligible," said the Square, 
" you must understand, that at this period begging Ma- 
sons, and pretended Masons, abounded in this metropolis ; 
and by their importunity gave the Treasurers a great deal 

Moral, and Political Virtues ' of Freemasonry. Preached, upon 
several occasions, before the Provincial Grand Officers, and other 
Brethren in the counties of Kent, Esses, &c." By the Rev. Jethro 
Inwood, P. Gr. Chaplain for the county of Kent. London, Crosby 
and Letterman, 1799. Published in the "Golden Eemains," vol. iv. 
Spencer, 1849. 



242 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

of trouble. The Athol Lodges initiated unworthy persons 
for a trifling fee, and having furnished them with certi- 
ficates, they converted their Masonry into a regular trade. 
If one of these men died in a lodging-house, there was 
sure to be a fierce struggle among the survivors for his 
diploma. Others gambled away their certificates at all- 
fours or dice ; and hence numbers of common beggars, 
who had never seen a Lodge, were spread over the coun- 
try, soliciting charity on the strength of these documents. 
The Treasurers and Masters of Lodges were obliged, 
therefore, to exercise the utmost caution in their exam- 
inations, lest these unprincipled scamps should glean any 
hint which might be usefully employed in other places to 
favour their imposture. 

" This being premised, I proceed in my Revelations. 
The Treasurer loquitur : — 

" 'About a fortnight ago,' he said, 'I was applied to 
by a Brother in deep distress, who described himself as a 
stonemason out of work. He was a man of medium 
height, neither tall nor short, with light hair, and a beard 
of a month's growth. His dress was a light-coloured 
fustian jacket, with horn buttons, a long leather apron, 
with the skirts tucked under his belt to allow free motion 
for his legs in walking ; and on his head a dirty white 
hat, with a broad brim and a low crown. Altogether, his 
appearance was that of a common working mason. He 
had a mallet in one hand, and a piece of rough stone in 
the other, and humbly begged relief. 

" ' In the exercise of my discretionary power of reliev- 
ing any indigent Brother to the amount of one shilling, 
without reference to the R. W. M., I proceeded to ascer- 
tain whether the applicant were really a Mason, for I had 
some doubts about his certificate. I was, however, soon 
satisfied on that point, for he met all my inquiries very 
adroitly. 

" ' ' Your name is V I said. 

" " John Wilkins,' he replied ; ' or Lewis, if "you like 
it better. But here, some would probably answer by 
using the word Caution.' 

" * ' Then I am to understand that you are a Mason V 
I rejoined. 

" ' ' I am so taken and accepted,' was his prompt reply. 

an Where were you made a Mason V I asked. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 243 

" ' His answer was perfectly orthodox, although it was 
accompanied by a sardonic smile, which indicated, if it 
did not absolutely express, knavery. 
. " ' ' What is that in your left hand V 

" ' ' If I answer as a JYee-mason,' he replied, ' it is a 
rough ashlar or broached thurnel ; but as a working- 
mason I should say it is a boulder-stone.' 

" ' * So far, so well,' I thought; and said aloud — ' Since 
you appear so confident, can you tell me what that stone 
smells of"?' 

" 6 The rogue put it to his nose scientifically, and, with 
another smile, gave me a direct and proper answer. 

u 6 '"What recommendation do you bring?' was my 
next inquiry. 

" 'The fellow knew his points, however he might have 
become acquainted with them, and told me without the 
slightest hesitation. And, being satisfied that he was a 
Mason, I gave him the shilling, and he thanked me, and 
went about his business. 

" ' A few days afterwards, a poor shoemaker applied 
to me for assistance, with hammer in hand, apron before 
him, buttoned up to his chin, and an awl stuck in his 
girdle, which was fastened with a wax end. His hair 
was black, his face dirty, his hat divested of its brim, and 
fitting close to his head ; ribbed worsted stockings, and 
shoes very much the worse for wear. Divested of his 
apron, he might have passed for a respectable chimney- 
sweep, or a worn-out coal porter. Altogether he was a 
disgusting object, and redolent of the combined odour of 
stale tobacco and shoemaker's wax. He said he was on 
tramp, and could not fall into work. He was averse to 
begging, as he had not been used to it, and the necessity 
was galling to his feelings. But being hard up, he was 
obliged to have recourse to the liberality of his Brother 
Masons for assistance. 

" 'I asked his name, and he answered the question by 
inquiring whether I alluded to his paternal or his masonic 
appellation. 

" < 'Your Christian and surname, sir?' I replied, sternly, 
for I was piqued at the fellow's pertinacity. 

" < ' James Patchett.' 

" ' ' And your place of abode?' 

" ' 'Faith,' said he, 'I can scarcely tell you that; for 



244 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

my whereabouts has been sufficiently diversified of late, 
but I was born and brought up at Hinckley, in Leicester- 
shire.' 

" ' ' You say you are a Mason,' I continued; 'will you 
do me the favour to describe the mode of your prepara- 
tion ?' 

" ' 'Describe to you, sir!' he said, with some humour. 
' Come, that is a prime joke. As if you did not know all 
about it ! If you must have it, it was thus ;' and he 
satisfied the inquiry correctly. ' Certes,' he added, ' I 
remember my initiation as well as if it had occurred only 
yesterday.' 

" ' I then tried him with a few of Grand Master Sayer's 
quaint examination questions, and found him an fait even 
there. 

" ' ' Will you give or take ?' 

" * * Both, or which you please.' 

" ' ' Are you rich or poor?' 

" ' 'Neither.' 

" ' 'Change me that?' 

" ' 'With pleasure.' 

" ' The fellow knew his catechism, and I failed to puz- 
zle him. 

" ' Seeing in his hand a hammer,' the Treasurer con- 
tinued, ' I asked him whether it had any moral or masonic 
reference. 

" ' ' Call it a mallet, if you please,' he answered with 
a knowing smile. ' Crispin's hammer is the Mason's 
gavel, though one is made of wood, and the other of iron; 
but iron tools ' and he gave me an orthodox illus- 
tration of the implement. 

" ' I then observed, for the purpose of hearing his re- 
ply, — ' I see you wear an apron out of the Lodge as well 
as in it/ 

" ' ' I belong to the Gentle Craft,' he replied, ' which 
is the designation of my trade as a cobbler, as well as of 
my profession as a Mason. The apron, sir, is common to 
both. I cannot, indeed, say much in favour of the white- 
ness or purity of my present badge, but, for all that, I 
may be as innocent as a new born babe,' laying a peculiar 
emphasis on the word may. 

" ' ' You carry your awl about with you, I observe.' 
" ' ' lly all, sir,' he replied., ' is under my hat, and a 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 245 

shocking bad hat it is ! and my end will soon overtake me, 
if not prevented by the exercise of your kindness and 
commiseration.' 

" ' The fellow's ready wit amused me, and I freely 
tendered him the usual amount of relief, which he pock- 
eted, and took his leave. 

" ' The next day I had another and very different appli- 
cant. He was a man of rather fashionable appearance, 
well dressed, and his brown glossy hair neatly arranged ; 
a round hat, nearly new, tight pantaloons, with hessian 
boots well polished and tasselled, and in his hand a dragon 
cane. He introduced himself by the aristocratic name 
of Walter Beauchamp, and apologised profusely for 
troubling me ; but, he added, l Necessitas non habet legem; 
and here I am — a free and accepted Mason in deep dis- 
tress.' 

" ' I was not at leisure to dally with this gentleman, 
and, therefore, I determined, after having ascertained that 
he was really a Mason, to relieve and dismiss him. I 
asked him successively — What is the first point in Mason- 
ry? — What is the chief point — the original point — the 
principal point — the point within a circle V He answered 
these questions without the slightest hesitation or mis- 
take ; and I then said carelessly, to catch him tripping, if 
possible — 'By the bye, supposing a Brother to be lost, 
where might we hope to find him?' 

" ' He said nothing, but with his cane traced a square 
and compass on the office floor. I then asked him whether 
he had seen a Master Mason to-day ? 

" ' He laughed, and answered curtly by another ques- 
tion — 'Do I see one now?' 

" ' I was perfectly satisfied, and while I took out my 
purse, I inquired what was his trade or profession. 

" ' 'A short time ago,' he said, ' I was the conductor ' 
of a flourishing academy in the west of England, and my 
circumstances were promising. I filled the chair of the 
Eural Philanthropic Lodge, at Huntspill, with credit and 
success, though I say it myself, who ought not to do so, 
because the poet tells us — On their own merits modest 
men are dumb. You have heard the anecdote of a school- 
master, who, being sea-sick when crossing the Bristol 
Channel, and seeing the waves run mountain high, hic- 
cupped over the side of the vessel — 'It's all very well to 
17 



246 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

say ' Britannia rules the waves,' but, for my part, I wish 
she would rule them straight.' You have heard this? 
Very well. I am the man, sir. True, upon my honour. 
But quid rides ? If I did not sound my own trumpet, 
there is no one here to lend me his breath, and, therefore, 
you must excuse my blushes. Being foolishly kind- 
hearted,' he rattled on, 'I was persuaded to become 
security for a Brother Mason, hinc illce lachrymcB, who was 
a Mason in word but not in deed, for he vanished in some 
mysterious manner when the*bills became due, non est 
inventus, and left me to bear the responsibility at my own 
discretion. As I was not in circumstances to meet the 
payment, I had no alternative but to copy his example — 
d'ye take ? In a word, I absconded without beat of drum, 
leaving birchen rods, dunces' caps, and a whole troop of 
little boys and girls to satisfy my imperious creditor. 
Being unmarried, I occupied furnished lodgings, and con- 
sequently had no available assets to leave behind. Eather 
hard upon me, was it not. sir ? But jacta est alea, and I 
must bide the result.' 

" ' Thus he went on,' the Treasurer added, ' and talked 
so fluently and well, that I became rather prepossessed 
in his favour. To test his qualifications, however, I pro- 
duced pen, ink, and paper, and desired him to write the 
word , I mentioned the pass-word. 

" ' 'Pardon me, sir,' was his modest reply, 'I cannot 
conscientiously do that. Do you think poverty can ever 
induce me to disregard my 0. B. ? Fie on it ! How poor 
soever a man may be, let him be honest. Does not the 

0. B. forbid us to he repeated the clause. But to 

convince me of his calligraphic attainments, he wrote 
half a dozen lines applicable to his own circumstances, in 
a free and beautiful hand, which excited my admiration. 
I never bestowed a shilling with greater pleasure, and 
the poor fellow's agreeable conversation drew an addi- 
tional half-crown out of my pocket. And I must say I 
never met with a begging Mason who acquitted himself 
so creditably throughout an examination as either of these 
three poor fellows did. 

" 'About a week after this interview,' the Treasurer 
continued, ' I was walking down the Strand with a friend 
and Brother, who is Treasurer of the St. Alban's Lodge, 
Dover-street, Piccadilly, and the above transaction form- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 247 

ed the subject of our conversation, so much had I been 
charmed with the poor schoolmaster's address. My friend 
observed that applications for charity had been rather 
numerous of late; and the last person he had relieved 
was a poor carpenter out of work, who proved himself to 
be a clever and intelligent Mason; ' and, if my eyes do not 
deceive me, yonder he is, with his scpiare and rule under 
his arm. Let us cross the street and question him; you 
will be pleased with his answers.' 

" 'As we were passing over to the other side, the fel- 
low appeared to eye us suspiciously, as though he wished 
to avoid the meeting. But when he found it impractic- 
able, he saluted us respectfully, and was moving on. 
But my companion stopped him by saying, — ' Well, my 
poor fellow, you have not succeeded in finding employ- 
ment?' 

" ' 'Why, the truth is,' he replied, 'Master Carpen- 
ters, as well as Master Masons, are rather shy of engaging 
with a perfect stranger, without a written character in his 
pocket ; for you know, sir, the old canon — all preferment 
among Masons is grounded upon real worth and personal merit 
only ; and who could discover my worth and personal 
merit without a certificate from my last employer, which 
I unfortunately neglected to procure ? And, perhaps, 
they are right ; for there are many impostors in this 
Great Babylon, as I myself have good reason to know.' 

" ' I could scarcely believe my ears,' said the Treasur- 
er. ' I looked in his face, and he smiled. I knew that 
smile, and the peculiar twinkle of his keen grey eye. It 
was no other than my accomplished schoolmaster ! 

" ' ' Why, you rascal,' I began — but he interrupted 
the explosion by saying, in his calm and quiet manner, — 

" ' 'Don't abuse me, sir, I beseech you. Spare your 
precious breath for a better purpose. You cannot tell 
how soon you may have occasion for it. Your dull ass, 
as the grave-digger says, will not mend his pace with 
beating. As to being a rascal — if I was ignorant of that 
fact, I must be the stupidest ass breathing, for I am re- 
minded of it twenty times a day. Everybody tells me 
so — and what everybody says, must be true. I am, in- 
deed, something like the man Snake, in Sheridan's play, 
which I saw the other night, and most earnestly entreat 
you not to ruin my bad character, for it is all I have to 



24S THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

depend on. Shakespeare informs his hearers, and his 
readers too, that each man in his turn plays many parts, 
and it is perfectly impossible for me to tell how many 
have fallen to my share.' 

" ' The cool impudence and self-possession which the 
fellow displayed,' continued the Treasurer, ' amused me 
exceedingly, and I asked him how he managed to get a 
living, as he appeared to be disinclined to work V 

ait ^Yhjf sir,' he said, ' the truth is, I sometimes live 
luxuriously, and sometimes starve ; for mine is but a pre- 
carious employment at the best. At one time I dine off 
a noble haunch of venison, and wash it down with claret, 
and at another I am obliged to do penance with Duke 
Humphrey, or amuse myself by taking an account of the 
number of trees in the park, to allay the cravings of 
hunger. And sometimes, Si fortuna perit, nidlus amicus 
erit, I am greeted with kicks instead of halfpence.' 

" ' ' Why, then, do you not exchange such a degrading 
mode of life for some honest and regular employment V 
I inquired. ' You appear to have some talent, and by 
the aid of industry and application, you might become a 
useful member of society.' 

" ' 'It can't be done, sir,' the fellow replied ; 'it can't 
be done. I have already tried it on without success. A 
dull droning life won't do for me.' And he began to 
sing, in a clear tenor voice, — 

' Of all the trades in England, 
A beggar's life's the best, 
For whenever he's a weary, 
He can lay him down to rest. 
'And a begging we will go ! 

* I fear no plots against me, 

I live in open cell, 
Then who would be a monarch, 
When beggars live so well ? 

'And a begging we will go ! ' 

" ' 'No, gentlemen, it can never be. I live only in an 
atmosphere of fun and excitement ; and even starving for 
a season is not without its pleasures. Sometimes, in- 
deed, the joke becomes serious ; and if it were not for 
such kind-hearted persons as yourselves, i' faith, I am 
afraid I should be obliged to work, which, to say the 
truth, would be very distasteful, and go woefully against 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 249 

the grain. But long life to the Freemasons ! They are 
a liberal set of men, and not very discriminating, and, 
therefore, I have but little trouble with them. I shall 
never be reduced to the hard necessity of working, thank 
goodness, while we have Lodges in every street, and 
open-handed Treasurers. They are fruitful milch-cows, 
and a bountiful Goshen when the land of Canaan reduces 
me to famine.' 

" ' 'Then you are not a schoolmaster, after all?' I 
said. 

" ' ' Bless your heart, no,' the fellow replied, with his 
pleasant smile. 'A schoolmaster ! Faugh! To be shut 
up the live-long day with a flock of dirty urchins, and no 
escape — it is not to be thought of. Besides, I never 
could endure confinement. I have been twice in Bride- 
well, and once in Newgate, not for making an illegal 
conveyance of property, mind, but, as the big wigs 
technically term it, as a rogue and a vagabond — for beg- 
ging, in short ; and in my daily Litany I pray to be de- 
livered from all restraint. A schoolmaster ! Ha, ha, ha ! 
I have had many a laugh about that, and your beautiful 
new half-crown. It is clear that you believed my story.' 

" ' 'I certainly did, my good man,' was my reply. 

" ' 'Nay,' said he, 'now you call me good, when in 
fact it was not I, but the acting that was good.' 

" ' The fellow's taunt stung me to the quick, and I 
asked sternly, for I felt piqued at his unblushing effron- 
tery — ' What, then, in the name of the devil, are you — a 
daring thief, I warrant V 

" ' 'Not a thief, your honour,' he replied, with the ut- 
most composure. ' I have never yet been reduced to 
that dodge. Craving your pardon, begging is the safest 
employment of the two. I can sleep with a quiet 
conscience when I have no sins under my belt of greater 
burden than a few innocent white lies.' 

" " You have a trade, I suppose, if you were compelled 
by necessity to work ? Tell me at once what it is.' 

" ' ' That is a question which will be rather difficult to 
answer,' he replied. 'At this moment, as you see, I am 
a distressed carpenter ; but what I shall be to-morrow is 
in the womb of fate. I have been the round of all 
known trades and professions. A horsedealer to-day, a 
lawyer to-morrow ; this day a chimney-sweep, the next a 



250 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

distressed clergyman. For instance, do you recollect — 
for further concealment is unnecessary,' he continued, 
with the merry twinkle of his eye to which I have 
already referred — do you recollect a poor cobbler who 
paid you a visit a week or two back, whose all was 
beneath his hat, and his end certain unless you relieved 
him?' 

« < ' Why,' I ejaculated, in astonishment, ' surely—' 

" ' ' Your humble servant, sir, and no mistake,' he 
coolly replied, with a low bow. 'And perhaps you have 
not altogether forgotten a distressed stonemason, who 
satisfied your scruples by telling you what the rough 
ashlar smelt of?' 

" ' 'And was that one of your performances also?' I 
inquired. 

" ' ' The same, sir. I am Proteus. Ever ready tourner 
casaque, as the Parisian gamins would say.' 

" ' ' Then you have been in Paris ?' 

" ' ' I have been everywhere. It would be difficult to 
say where I have not been. Experience is a faithful 
instructor, and I have been some years under its tuition. 
And you shall hear what an apt scholar I have been. I 
once bet a guinea with a pal — you may stare, sir, but I 
sometimes have a fugitive guinea in my pocket to sport 
with, as well as my betters. Where was I? O ! — I was 
saying, I bet a guinea that I succeeded in obtaining relief 
from the Treasurer of a certain Lodge, which shall be 
nameless, six times within the compass of fourteen days. 
Having at my command the choice of every species of 
disguise at the rate of sixpence a day, I accomplished 
the feat, and the poor dupe remains in perfect ignorance 
to the present moment that he has been imposed on. 
And sir,' he said, lowering his tone of voice, ' excuse me, 
sir, but I flatter myself, if I had not' been so unfortunate 
as to encounter both of you together, that the experiment 
might have been safely and successfully repeated, although 
the representative of Wisdom in your Lodge does possess 
the Jewel of Sir Christopher Wren.' 

" ' The clever scamp chuckled over his reminiscences, 
and suddenly turning on his heel, and looking me full in 
the face, he said, in a half-whisper, — ' By the bye, you 
don't happen to have such a thing as half a crown about 
you?' ' 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 251 

" " Why? you impudent rogue — ' 

" ' 'Stop a moment, if you please, dear Brother,' he 
said, with his usual quiet smile and twinkle of the eye, 
accompanied by the most unruffled composure — ' don't 
be impatient, I beseech you. I was about to add, that 
if you have such a thing to dispose of, I am ready to 
purchase it by communicating a secret which is worth 
its weight in gold.' 

" 'This proposal,' continued the Treasurer, 'under the 
circumstances, I thought peculiarly insulting, particular- 
ly as the fellow had assumed that remarkably knowing 
look which seemed to indicate that he intended mischief. 
I had no wish to be victimized ; but as the risk was 
trifling in amount, even if I got nothing in exchange for 
my coin, I consented to the proposal, simply for the 
purpose of ascertaining how far the fellow's impudence 
would carry him ; and while he pocketed the gratuity, I 
heard him mutter, — ' Well, you're a trump any how — 
you are — and no mistake ! I will say that ; and I'll not 
lose sight of you.' And then he said aloud, — ' The secret 
I have to communicate is dirt cheap at half a crown. 
Listen to it : 

" ' ' Take care who you admit as candidates, and 
you will have fewer begging masons." " 

"You will be at no loss to conclude," said the Square, 
" from these Revelations, that things went on very 
pleasantly with us. We had changes of Masters, it is 
true; but they all possessed average ability, and some 
were distinguished by superior attainments. Nothing 
further occurred, however, worthy of a special notice till 
the commencement of the nineteenth century, when the 
Rev. Jethro Inwood was unanimously elected to fill +h» 
Chair of the Lodffe," 



252 



CHAPTER XIV. 

LEGENDS. REV. JETHRO INWOOD. 

1800—1803. 



" To Heaven's high Architect all praise. 
All praise, all gratitude be given ; 
Who deign'd the human soul to raise 

By mystic secrets sprung from Heaven." 

Henry Dagge. 

' There is no violation of truth in affirming that, in London especial- 
ly, propositions for initiation into Masonry are often too easily, if not 
eagerly received, on the bare general recommendation of the proposer, 
and payment of the customary fees. But if character and circum- 
stances were cautiously weighed in the qualification of candidates, 
though the Society might not be quite so numerous, the members of 
it would, in proportion, be more respectable, both as men, and as 
Masons." — Noorthouck. 

" Masonry has no principle but what might still more ornament the 
purest mind ; nor any appendage but what might give additional lustre 
to the brightest character. By the exercise of the duties of Masonry, 
the rich may add abundantly to the fund of their eternal inheritance. 
The wise may increase their knowledge of the nature of God, in all 
his best perfections, and thereby daily grow still more wise unto 
eternal salvation. The pure in heart may be always advancing in the 
divine likeness ; and they who walk in this path of the just, with 
zeal and activity, will find it as the shining Light, which shineth 
more and more unto the perfect day." — Inwood. 



" I am about to exceed the limits of our covenant," 
said the Square, swinging scientifically round on its 
dexter limb, with a slow and even motion, as if trying to 
describe some imaginary circle in the air, "in which, on 
certain conditions, I promised to reveal some of the 
peculiar practices of our Brethren in the eighteenth 
century ; and as you have adhered so faithfully to the pre- 
liminary contract, by suffering me to proceed without 
interruption, I shall reward your constancy by continu- 
ing my Revelations for a few years longer, that I may 
have an opportunity of describing the causes which pro- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 253 

duced the extinction of the schism that divided the Fra- 
ternity into two hostile sections for three quarters of a 
century ; and it is probable that I may be able to furnish 
a few new facts which may prove interesting to you." 

I replied to my gossiping companion by a nod, and 
the sign of silence ; for, to say the truth, I had become 
so accustomed to his lively conversation, that I shall 
regret its termination, whenever it may happen to cease. 

"Aye," said he, " you are at liberty to employ our 
universal language, but not to speak ; and I am glad to 
find that you have learned your lesson so perfectly. 

"I have already told you," he continued, "that our 
present Master was the Rev. Jethro Inwood, curate of St. 
Paul's, at Deptford ; and his opening address, delivered 
after his installation, was directed at a very prevalent 
objection of the Antimasons, that the Institution is deisti- 
cal. He began thus : — 

" ' When the Almighty found it expedient to promul- 
gate a code of laws for the especial government of the 
Israelites, after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage, 
to preserve them as a nation distinct from the idolatrous 
people amongst whom they were placed, he gave them 
a religious institution, formed upon exclusive principles, 
which was intended to be the cement of his ordinances, 
himself being the chief Ruler and Governor both of the 
civil and religious polity; and he constituted Aaron his 
authorized deputy over the one, and Moses over the 
other. On this model Freemasonry has been formed, 
but at an unapproachable distance. To render the 
parallel as complete as circumstances would admit, our 
ancient Brethren made the degrees of Masonry to corre- 
spond with the permanent and strongly-marked divisions 
of the Tabernacle, where the system was enunciated by 
a regular series of symbolical machinery. In a word, 
everything connected with the Tabernacle and its 
services, was typical of a better dispensation, whose 
builder and maker is G-od. 

" ; It is not my intention, however, to detain you on 
the present occasion with an explanation of all the em- 
blems which were embodied in this primitive temple; 
and, indeed, the attempt would exceed the limits of a 
single oration, confined, as it must necessarily be, within 
a very circumscribed space of time. I shall merely 



254 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

allude to a few brief particulars which appear to be 
apposite in their application equally to Freemasonry and 
Christianity. The Tabernacle was built due east and 
west, in commemoration of that great and mighty wind 
which first blew east and then west, to divide the Red 
Sea for their safe transit, and the total destruction of the 
Egyptian army. For the same reason our Lodges are 
placed due east and west, in common with all Christian 
places of worship, for Wisdom sprang out of the east, 
and thence spread over the western parts of the world. 

" ' Our Lectures refer to Christianity in the same 
manner as the Jewish dispensation did, viz., by types 
and significant references. The First Great Light is the 
very basis and pillar of Christianity. The Theological 
Ladder is invested with a Christian reference ; the Two 
Parallels in our system of Masonry are Christians. Those 
who aim at neutralizing these and other similar refer- 
ences, or, in other words, of preserving the universality 
of Masonry by depriving it of its allusions to our holy 
religion, little think that, by such arguments, they deny 
the truth of God's dispensation to Moses, and refuse to 
acknowledge with the Apostle, that it was intended as a 
schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. If the Jewish reli- 
gion was truly a type of Christianity, so is Freemasonry. 
The conclusion is inevitable, because the Lectures of 
Masonry embody many of the historical facts, ordinances, 
and types of that ancient religion which was communi- 
cated to man by the Deity himself.' 

"These orthodox sentiments," said the Square, "pro- 
ceeding from the mouth of a reverend divine who had 
distinguished himself as a zealous and learned Mason, 
were highly applauded, and anticipations of an edifying 
year were indulged by all the members of the Lodge 
without exception. Their hopes were amply realized ; 
and the popularity of his government formed a theme of 
congratulation, which extended beyond the four walls of 
the Lodge. His quiet and gentlemanly manners, and 
his method of imparting instruction to newly-initiated 
candidates by a free conversation with other members 
who proposed such questions for elucidation as they 
themselves might be inclined to ask, brought a host 
of visitors every Lodge night, and a marked increase of 
initiations. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 255 

1 One evening, I remember it well," the Square con- 
tinued, "after the business of the Lodge had been dis- 
posed of, a candidate, recently initiated, whose name 
was Lambert, rose and said — ' R. W. Sir, if I am not 
taking too great a liberty — and as I have had very little 
experience, I am, of course, unable to determine whether 
I am in order or not — I should be glad if you would 
inform me by what process you acquired such a perfect 
insight into the mysteries of Masonry, that I may steer 
my course by your example, for I confess to the soft 
impeachment of an ambition to become a good practical 
Mason.' 

" ' And a laudable ambition it is,' replied the R. W. M. ; 
'nor can I have the slightest objection to gratify your 
curiosity by delineating the pursuits of my early masonic 
career. When I was but a boy, having been made a 
Mason, as a Lewis, at eighteen years of age, I determined 
to fathom the very lowest depths of Masonry ; and for 
that purpose I commenced a regular course of study in 
the principles of the Order, under the instructions of my 
father ; and, as it was a labour of love, I made a rapid 
progress. In fact, I am not ashamed to say that I entered 
on the pursuit with an alacrity, equal, at least, if not 
superior, to that of reading for my degree at the univer- 
sity. I soon became thoroughly master of the Prestonian 
Lectures in all the degrees, and capable of going through 
the ceremonies of making, passing, and raising with equal 
promptitude and precision.' 

" 'And you had sufficient resolution to persevere in 
this dry study?' said Bro. Lambert, inquiringly. 

" ' Resolution !' the R. W. M. responded. ' To be sure 
I had. And so far from finding it what you term a dry 
study, I became enthusiastically fond of it ; and, in about 
four years after my initiation, I found myself in circum- 
stances of great popularity with the Craft, and became 
Master of the Lodge in which I had been admitted a 
Mason.' 

" ' I should like to know,' said Bro. Lambert, ' whether 
you had any extraneous assistance — I mean, whether you 
had the advantage of printed publications to facilitate 
the acquirement of the Lodge Lectures V 

" ' In answer to this home question,' the R. W. M. 
said, * the truth is — and I name it by way of caution — 



256 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

that, immediately after receiving my First Degree, I was 
invited to spend a few weeks in Leicestershire ; and 
a masonic friend, perceiving my eagerness to acquire 
information in the Lectures and ceremonies, placed in 
my hands a pamphlet called " Jachin and Boaz/' ' 

"'"Jachin and Boaz!"' exclaimed Bro. Lambert, 
eagerly ; « aye, I have seen the book — I have read it. 
But, surely, that work does not contain a correct por- 
traiture of Freemasonry ?' 

"'You shall hear,' replied Bro. Inwood. 'Did you 
ever read about the mirage in the arid steppes of the 
desert, which mocks the thirsty traveller with hopes 
that are destined to be disappointed? Well, thus it 
was with me. At first, the possession of this pamphlet 
appeared to be a God-send ; and I felt as much gratified 
by its acquisition as Gil Bias, when he was constituted 
critic in ordinary to the Archbishop of Grenada. I 
applied myself to its study with great earnestness, and 
read it for whole days together under the umbrageous 
shade of trees — recubans sub tegmine fagi — with the full 
determination of making myself perfectly master of its 
contents. Professing to be a complete exposition of the 
Lectures and ceremonies, instead of consulting my father, 
as I ought to have done, I entered heart and soul into 
its merits, and ultimately succeeded in fixing every line 
tenaciously in my memory. I liked the excitement. It 
was a rich treat. I had as great an affection for this 
trumpery book as a young mother for her first child, and 
always carried it in my bosom. I was delighted with 
the possession of such an easy means of becoming ac- 
quainted with the details of the Order. But, alas ! it 
was all a delusion ; and I have frequently had occasion 
to lament the sacrifice of so much valuable time to so 
little purpose.' 

" ' Well, and how did it end?' Bro. Lambert asked. 

" 'The result may be a useful lesson to you,' replied 
the E. W. M., ' and to all others who seek for a royal 
road to the knowledge of Masonry ; or, in other words, 
who are desirous of becoming learned Masons without a 
devoted application of the adjuncts of time, labour, and 
serious meditation. When I received the Third Degree 
of Masonry, I found that all my pains and anxiety had 
been wasted, and that the pretended revelations, like the 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 2Di 

forgeries of poor Chatterton, were a gross imposition 
Nay, it was worse than leisure misapplied, for the im- 
pressions already produced interfered materially with 
the subsequent study of our legitimate Lectures ; and I 
found the task of obliterating from my memory that 
which is false, more difficult than acquiring a perfect 
knowledge of that which is true. It was a work of 
retrogression, and mortified me exceedingly. I had been 
deceived on the threshold of Masonry, and the wonder 
is, that I did not relinquish the pursuit in disgust, as 
numbers do every day from causes infinitely less influ- 
ential.' 

" ' But you persevered?' 

" ' I did ; for there is a springiness in the ardent nature 
of youth which is not easily discouraged. On a reference 
to my venerated father, I found I had been duped ; but 
I did not allow the imposition to quench the spirit of 
inquiry which had been excited in my bosom. I made 
the best use of the means at my disposal, and, by dint of 
severe application, I became at length fully indoctrinated 
in the ceremonies, rituals, and genuine Lectures of the 
Order. And if you will pursue the same process, I doubt 
not but your exertions will be rewarded with the same 
success. 

" ' Then huzza for a tough spell of masonic study with- 
out the assistance of " Jachin and Boaz !" ' Bro. Lambert 
exclaimed, ' for I am determined to be, in the strictest 
sense of the word, a Mason.' 

" You will at once conclude, from this description," 
the Square continued, " that Bro. Inwood was an as- 
siduous Mason ; and he permitted no opportunity to pass 
unimproved of storing his mind with useful knowledge, 
or of imparting instruction to those who needed it. At 
his first quarterly supper, a remarkable instance of this 
disposition occurred. Amidst the intervals of song and 
toast, a private conversation was going on between Bro. 
Dent and a visiting Brother from the country, by which 
the former seemed greatly interested. At length, during 
the brief silence which succeeded a song, Bro. Dent was 
heard to say — ' Are you really in earnest, when you tell 
me that such a belief prevails extensively in the pro- 
vinces V 

" This was heard by the Chair, who immediately said 



25S THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

— ' Bro. Dent, have you forgot that excellent Charge, 
which forbids you to hold separate conversations, without 
leave from the Master? If your communication with 
our visiting Brother be on the subject of Masonry, I am 
sure you will not deprive us of any benefits which may 
be derived from it. If important, let us hear it ; if not, 
I call on you for a song.' 

" On this challenge from the Chair," the Square con- 
tinued, "Bro. Dent rose and said — 'R. W. Sir, whether 
the conversation between myself and friend, whom I 
have already introduced to you by the name of Bro. the 
Rev. Samuel Oliver, from Leicester,' (your respected 
parent,)" said the Square, parenthetically ; " but it hap- 
pened before you were initiated, and, therefore, you are, 
probably, ignorant of the circumstance." 

I gave a nod, to signify that it might be new to me ; 
but I thought it scarcely probable, as, indeed, it proved 
when the Revelation was made, for I had heard the 
greater part of it from my father's own lips. 

The Square, however, went on with Bro. Dent's reply 
— " ' Whether Bro. Oliver's communication be or be not 
worthy of your attention, is not for me to determine. I 
can only say that he was detailing a series of facts, if 
facts they be, which have astonished me not a little.' 

" ' Let us hear, let us hear,' said the R. W. M. ' If the 
matter be interesting, as you represent, we can afford to 
suspend our convivialities for a few minutes to share in 
your surprise.' 

" ' Nay,' Bro. Dent responded, ' I have only heard the 
commencement of the strange recital ; but it appears 
that there are some mysteries in each of the Three De- 
grees, of which we Metropolitan Masons are profoundly 
ignorant.' " 

At this point the Square, with one of his quaint twirls 
on the point of his dexter limb, interrupted himself by a 
reference to a remark of the witty Dean of St. Patrick's, 
who said that some people are much more dexterous 
at pulling down and setting up, than at preserving what 
is fixed ; and they are not fonder of seizing more than 
their own, than they are of delivering it up again to the 
worst bidder, with their own into the bargain. And to 
this observation he might have added, that it is doubtful 
whether what they set up is half so useful or half so 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 259 

true as what they pull down. You shall judge for 
yourself, when I have repeated the following conversa- 
tion. 

"Bro. Dent went on to say, — 'From what I have 
heard this evening, some of the country Lodges are dis- 
posed on a novel principle, which appears to militate 
against our preconceived notions ; and the Entered Ap- 
prentices are instructed to entertain the doctrine as a 
matter of faith.' 

" Bro. Preston declared that the information would be 
peculiarly interesting to him, should it contain anything 
new ; as he had already bestowed infinite pains in the 
collection of facts on all subjects connected with the 
usages and customs which exist amongst the Craft in 
every part of the world. 

" Bro. Oliver was then requested by the Chair to re- 
capitulate his communications, that the Brethren might 
have an opportunity of judging whether they are in 
accordance with ancient custom. 

"Bro. Oliver rose and said, 'He was not aware that 
the conversation with his friend Bro. Dent would have 
had the effect of bringing him out so prominently before 
the Lodge, nor did he believe that an assembly of Breth- 
ren so well versed in the usages of the Craft, would be 
edified by anything he might have to say. It is true,' 
he continued, ' that some R. W. Masters, but not in the 
Lodge to which I belong, make a point of instilling into 
the minds of the Apprentices the form of the Lodge and 
'the disposition of its furniture; because they think this 
knowledge constitutes an excellent foundation for any 
superstructure which they may find occasion to erect 
upon it. And I shall have great pleasure in communi- 
cating all I know on the subject, with this proviso, that 
the detail will be found to embrace many doubtful facts, 
to which I cannot conscientiously subscribe.' 

'"First, then,' Bro. Preston said, 'let us hear the 
hypothesis respecting the form and disposition of the 
Lodge.' 

"'Willingly,' returned Bro. Oliver. 'The form of the 
Lodge is said to be in length, double its height and 
breadth, as a representation of the Altar of incense in 
the Tabernacle of Moses, which was a double cube. The 
Bible, Square, and Compasses are placed upon the Tressel- 



260 THE REVELATIOXS OF A SQUARE. 

board before the Master, in the east ; with the former 
open at the book of Ruth. The Constitutions lie before 
the Past Master; the Grlobes before the Senior Warden; 
the rough Ashlar in the north-east for the use of the 
Apprentices ; the perfect Ashlar in the north-west for 
the use of the Feliowcrafts ; the Master Masons in the 
south-west, and the Past Masters in the south-east. The 
Mosaic pavement, Blazing star, and Tessellated border, 
with the emblems of science, are deposited in the east 
for the use of the R. W. M.' 

" ' There is certainly something new and ingenious in 
this,' Bro. Preston observed, ' and I should also say, 
partially heterodox. But will you allow me to ask you 
one question ? Are you an ancient or a modern ? ' 

" 'In answer to this question,' Bro. Oliver replied, 'I 
must honestly say that I am both. Or I should answer 
more correctly were I to tell you that I am acquainted 
with the peculiarities of both. I was made in a modern 
Lodge, but afterwards became a member of another 
Lodge, which had just exchanged its Athol warrant for 
a Constitutional one, and still continued to practise the 
ancient system. And in that Lodge I acquired the mar- 
vellous information, which is very much at your service, 
if you think it worth hearing.' 

" ' This preliminary being understood,' said Bro. 
Preston, 'you will now permit me to ask whether you 
have any varieties to recount respecting the Second 
Degree ? ' 

"'We teach our Feliowcrafts,' replied Bro. Oliver,' 
' the particulars of a curious legend touching the Pillars 
of the Porch. When the Ark of Noah rested on Mount 
Ararat, and its inmates came forth, the Patriarch erected 
a Pillar, which was highly venerated by his descendants, 
who added thereto many ornamental decorations. After 
the migration from Shinar, the wandering tribes built 
pillars in imitation of this great prototype in every 
country which they planted, to commemorate the uni- 
versal Deluge, whence the custom originated. Many 
years after the deliverance from Egypt, Boaz erected 
two Pillars on his estate near the town of Bethlehem, 
one of which he called by his own name, and the other 
Jachin, after the son of Simeon, one of the twelve tribes 
of Jsrael. These two Pillars supported an arch or gate- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 261 

way, under which he married Ruth, after she had been 
formally renounced by a nearer kinsman ; who took off 
one of his shoes as a pledge of his sincerity, and gave it 
to Boaz for a testimony, in the presence of competent 
witnesses, that he was at liberty to stand in his shoes as 
the legal claimant to the hand of Ruth.' 

" 'I have heard something of this,' said Bro. Inwood; 
'but have ever considered it too absurd to merit any 
serious attention, as it rests, on no authority whatever ; 
and I am curious to know in what manner this gateway 
is connected with the Pillars of Solomon's Porch.' 

" ' The connection is thus explained,' replied Bro. 
Oliver : — ' Boaz was the great grandfather of David ; and 
Solomon's Pillars were called by the above names to 
commemorate his marriage with Ruth ; for whose me- 
mory Solomon is said to have entertained such a respect- 
ful veneration, that when David anointed him King, he 
requested that the ceremony might be repeated under 
the gate at Bethlehem, which was supported by the two 
Pillars that Boaz himself had erected. The legend fur- 
ther says that he was sleeping under this gate, and between 
.the Pillars, when he was favoured with that remarkable 
vision where the Most High condescended to offer him 
his choice of wisdom, long life, or riches, when he pre- 
ferred the former. Between these Pillars he married his 
Egyptian wife ; and here Hiram Abiff was first intro- 
duced to him by the noble prince Adoniram. In the 
same place he received the Queen of Sheba, when she 
came to view the magnificent Temple of Jerusalem, and 
to ascertain by personal communication whether the 
miraculous traditions of his wisdom and penetration were 
founded in fact.' 

" 'And this is the legendary lore which is taught in 
the Lodges of our ancient Brethren ! ' exclained Bro. 
Pigou. 'I do not envy their pretensions to superior 
knowledge. After this explanation we find no difficulty 
in understanding the boast of Lawrence Dermott, that 
ancient Masonry contains everything valuable amongst the 
moderns, as ivell as many other things that cannot be revealed 
without additional ceremonies. These absurdities, I con- 
clude, constitute a portion of those other things which 
cannot be revealed.'' 

"'Your observation is very appropriate,' said the R. 
IS 



262 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

W. M. ; ' but let us have the whole case before us, ere 
we venture to express an opinion on its merits.' 

" ' I feel considerable interest in this communication, 5 
interposed the D. G. M., Sir Peter Parker, who happened 
to be present, ' and trust our visiting Brother will favour 
us with the remainder of these curious legends.' 

" 'The next point,' Bro. Oliver replied, 'appertains to 
the Third Degree. The Temple of Solomon is represented 
as having two foundations, one beneath the other, in the 
form of an oblong square. The lower foundation is said 
to have been composed of compact rows of stones, in 
number 900 ; while the upper consisted of only twelve 
stones, to represent the tribes, which were placed in 
three rows, and were inlaid with upwards of nine hundred 
costly precious stones. It is further taught that, in order 
to perpetuate the infamy of the Tribe of Dan, which 
perpetrated the first apostasy, King Solomon commanded 
that the stone which appertained to that tribe should be 
defaced, and a certain cubical stone, which had formed 
the basis of Enoch's subterranean Temple, should be 
substituted for it, as it occupied a situation immediately 
beneath the centre of the Most Holy Place.' 

" 'I have heard,' said Bro. Meyrick, 'another version 
of the above legend, which contains a more noble and 
rational reference. According to my account, the 
Temple of Solomon had three foundations, the first of 
which contained seventy stones ; five courses from north 
to south, and fourteen from east to west. The centre 
course corresponded with the upright of a cross, whose 
tranvCrse was formed by two stones on each side of the 
eleventh stone, counting from the east end of the centre 
row, which constitutes the upright beam, and the fourth 
stone from the west. The stone which occupied the 
place where the beams cross each other, was perpendicu- 
larly under the centre of the S. S. ; a design which con- 
tained an evident reference to the Cross of Christ ; and 
it was so placed, that the portion where the heart of 
Christ would be at the time of His Crucifixion was ex- 
actly beneath the Ark of the Covenant and the Shekinah 
of Glory.' 

"Bro. Earner, afterwards Sir John Earner, Lord Mayor 
of London, and S. G. Warden in 1798, hoped that Bro. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 263 

Oliver had something more to communicate, and might 
be allowed to proceed. 

"Bro. Oliver replied, 'that he had very little to add, 
except on the subject of the Temple decorations, which 
probably are known to every Brother present, and which 
it may, therefore, be unnecessary to detail.' 

" ' Go on, go on,' was heard from every part of the 
Lodge ; and Bro. Oliver proceeded to say that the num- 
ber of precious stones in the Holy Place is said to have 
been 22,288, arranged in symbolic figures by Hiram 
Abiff. In the most Holy Place were 603,550 precious 
stones, in commemoration of the offerings of the children 
of Israel towards the construction of the Tabernacle. 
The centre of the ceiling was decorated with a hierogram 
of the Sacred Name, curiously wrought with precious 
stones, in the form of a circle, inscribed within a square ; 
which produced a more dazzling effect than the most 
superb rose-window in one of our richest cathedrals. 

" Now t , what value do you suppose our sapient Brethren 
place on these precious stones ?" said the Square, paren- 
thetically. " Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 
Why no less a sum than sixty-two thousand six hundred 
and seventy-five millions of pounds sterling ! ! ! 

" Our erudite visitor proceeded to inform us — and you 
will not be surprised to hear that we listened with due 
attention — although he personally repudiated the facts 
as being too incredible for belief — yet he had heard them 
insisted on with great pertinacity in a Lodge that he 
could name. ' In the Temple were 10,480,000 gold and 
silver vessels, which cost 6,904,832,500 pounds sterling. 
The workmen's wages amounted to 140,000,000 sterling ; 
and the inferior materials to 150,000,000 pounds. The 
expense of the whole building was 69,869,832,500 ster- 
ling pounds ! 

" 'After all these expenses had been incurred and satis- 
fied, as the legend asserts, the funds subscribed by David, 
Solomon, Hiram, the Queen of Sheba, and others, were 
unexhausted; for David himself contributed 911,416,207 
pounds ; and the Queen of Sheba eighty thousand 
millions of pounds ! It appears, therefore, that the sum 
of 11,041,583,707 pounds remained as an available sur- 
plus after the work was finished, for Solomon to amuse 



264 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

himself with, in the erection of palaces and towns at his 
pleasure!' 

"This perilous stuff/' the Square observed, "which 
is indebted for its origin to the Jewish cabalists, has 
very properly become obsolete. Freemasonry has been 
judiciously weeded since the union, and all such glaring 
improbabilities cancelled. But, sir, as my sole object in 
making these revelations is to display Masonry as it was 
in actual operation during the last century, a brief notice 
of these puerilities could not be consistently avoided. I 
think I have already told you that they were originally 
imported from the continent, like a cargo of smuggled 
merchandize, and were openly practised in the Athol 
Lodges as a constituent part of the system. Some of the 
constitutional Masons followed this pernicious example, 
in defiance of the repeated cautions of the Grand 
Lodge. 

" The harmony of the evening," continued the Square, 
" was not disturbed by these communications ; and Bro. 
Oliver, though a very indifferent singer, at the request 
of the R. W. M., favoured the Lodge with an original 
song of his own composition, which was highly ap- 
plauded, to the old tune of ' Balinamona ora,' which you 
shall hear. 

• As journeying in darkness through life's toilsome way, 
The cheerful light darting not one feeble ray ; 

No friendly companion my sorrows to smother, 
Kind fortune at last sent a true-hearted Brother. 

' Sing Balinamona ora, &c. 
A Mason's the guardian for me! 

* His words smooth as oil, and as honey were sweet ; 
He guided my path and directed my feet ; 

He mysteries and dangers with me did explore, 
Through a lab'rynth of horrors I ne'er trod before. 

' The terrors of darkness encompass'd me round ; 
But light, truth, and friendship I speedily found. 
No suspicion of falsehood can ever appear, 
To proceed from a Mason who acts on the square. 

4 By signs and words guarded, like Argus's eyes, 
All guile and deceit a Freemason defies ; 
He lives within compass, he works with his tools; 
And levels his ways by the Grand Master's rules. 




i 

fa 



^ 









FH 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 2G5 

At length quito enlighten'd, experience and truth 
Beam'd rays of refulgence from East, West, and South; 
I never beheld so resplendent a scene ; 
And nono but a Mason can tell what I mean. 

1 No longer in darkness I now grope my way, 
Dlum'd by the beauty and glory of day, 
The dense mists of error that clouded my sight 
Are dispersed and destroyed by the Science of Light. 

• So now, being fearful I trespass too long, 
1 beg to conclude with my thanks and my song; 
Your praises, dear Brethren, I'll sing while I've breath, 
May we meet in the Grand Lodge above after death !' 

"A few evenings afterwards — it was in the month of 
November, if my memory does not deceive me," my 
amusing companion proceeded to say, "when we had 
some initiations coming off, I was entertaining myself 
with certain profound 1 reflections on the peculiar situa- 
tion of a candidate, as I lay reposing on the cushion of 
the pedestal before the Brethren assembled, which were 
interrupted by the entrance of the R. W. M., and a very 
numerous company of Brethren. 

"After the Lodge was opened, and the minutes read 
and confirmed," pursued the Square, "our Rev. Brother 
produced from a small casket a medal, which he handed 
round the Lodge that all the Brethren might see it, 
observing ' that it was intended to strike off a sufficient 
number of them for distribution amongst the Craft, to 
commemorate the appointment of their R. H. the Prince 
of Wales (afterwards George IV.) as Grand Master of 
Masons, and the Duke of Clarence (afterwards William 
IV.) as Grand Principal of the Royal Arch. He was 
acquainted,' he said, 'with the artist, who had en- 
trusted the proof to him for a few hours to exhibit to 
the Lodge.' After the beauty of the design and chaste- 
ness of the execution had been sufficiently admired, the 
business of the Lodge proceeded. 2 

"We had three initiations ; and after the ceremonies 
were completed, and the Prestonian Charge read, the R. 

1 Profound ! The Square vaunteth itself ! What an egotistical 
nonentity it is ! Umbras falsse gloriae consectatur ! — P. D. 

2 See the Lithograph of this beautiful Medal, which will be more 
satisfactory than the most elaborate description. 



266 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

W. M., turning to the north-east, said, with great solemn- 
ity and effect, — 

" 'Brethren and friends, the usual routine prescribed 
by our ritual at the initiation of candidates into Masonry 
having been accomplished, it may be necessary to enter 
on some special explanation of our rites ; that you may 
not esteem them to be frivolous or trifling; for the 
minutest observance, which you have this evening wit- 
nessed, has its peculiar reference to some dignified virtue; 
or to some ancient observance which points out a moral 
duty.' 

" 'Perhaps, R. W. Sir,' said Bro. Jones, rising from 
his seat, 'I humbly venture to suggest — perhaps you 
would be kind enough first to explain to the candidates 
what a Freemason is ; for, although they may have heard 
a great deal about Masonry, and may have desired admit- 
tance amongst us from a sincere wish of being service- 
able to their fellow-creatures, yet, from a hint which I 
have just received across the table, they are anxious to 
know what are the exclusive privileges and characteristics 
of a worthy Brother.' 

" ' I shall have much pleasure,' Bro. In wood replied, 
' m attending to your recommendation.' Then turning 
once more to the north-east, he said, ' A Fremason, my 
Brethren, is a free man, born of a free woman, a brother 
to kings, and a companion to princes, if they be Masons ; 
an assumption which will be illustrated by the Senior 
Warden, if you will give him your attention.' 

"The Senior Warden then rose, and said, — 'Brethren, 
by command of the R. W. M., I will endeavour to explain 
the hypothesis of our perfect freedom, and our jealousy 
lest the vicious habits of slavery should contaminate the 
true principles on which Masonry is founded. You will 
observe that many of our usages and customs originated 
at the building of the Temple of Jerusalem. Now our 
ancient Brethren, who were employed by King Solomon 
to work at this famous edifice were declared free, and 
exempted from all imposts, duties, and taxes for them 
and their descendants. They were also invested with 
the privilege of bearing arms. At the destruction of 
the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar, the posterity of these 
Masons were carried into captivity with the Jews. But 
when the time of their humiliation was expired, by the 



TPIE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 267 

good-will of Cyrus they were permitted to erect a second 
Temple, being declared free for that purpose. Hence 
we are called Freemasons. The custom of accepting as 
candidates none but the sons of free women, dates its 
origin from a much earlier period ; even from the time 
when Abraham held a solemn festival at the weaning of 
his son Isaac, when Ishmael amused himself by teazing 
and perplexing the young child. When Sarah was 
acquainted with this, she remonstrated with Abraham, 
requesting him to put away the bond-woman Hagar and 
her son, as they were not competent to inherit with the 
free-born. She spoke by divine inspiration, as she knew 
that from Isaac's loins would spring a great and mighty 
people, who would serve the Lord with freedom, fer- 
vency, and zeal; and she feared that if the lads were 
brought up together, Isaac might imbibe some of Ish- 
mael's slavish principles; for it is well known that the 
minds of slaves are more contaminated than of those who 
are born free.' 

"The R. W. M. then resumed his instructions, by 
calling the attention of the candidates to the fact that 
'these two persons, Ishmael and Isaac, to whom the 
Senior Warden has referred, are typical of the Law and 
the Gospel; the one given by Christ; the other by 
Moses ; and the circumstance has been embodied in Free- 
masonry to show, that although a person may have been 
born of a free woman — although he may have been made 
a Mason, and entitled to all the privileges of initiation — 
yet if he undervalues these privileges, and neglects to 
improve his mind by an application of the doctrines and 
precepts which he hears in the Lodge, instead of profit- 
ing by his freedom as Isaac did, he will be no better 
than a profane bond-slave like Ishmael, who was cast 
out from his father's house as unworthy of any share in 
the inheritance. It was by the same carelessness and 
inattention that the Jews forfeited their freedom, and 
suffered their privileges to be transferred to others. By 
their wilful rejection of the Messiah, they have been 
excluded from the Covenant of Grace — have taken the 
place of the Sons of Slavery — have been cast out of the 
vineyard of promise, and are aliens from the true Israel 
of God.' 

"'The candidates have remarked, I doubt not,' Bro. 



268 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Tegart observed, 'with no little curiosity, how careful 
we were to prevent them from bringing anything offen- 
sive or defensive into the Lodge. With submission, 
E. W. Sir, it may be useful to explain the reasons for a 
caution which might otherwise be considered rude and 
inexplicable.' 

"' You are aware,' said the R. W. M., addressing him- 
self to the newly-initiated Brethren, ' that in the earliest 
ages of the world there was a peculiar pollution attached 
to the contamination of metal tools. T. Gr. A. O. T. U., 
speaking of the construction of an Altar, commands it to 
be made of. earth or rough stones; observing that if a 
metal tool were used in its fabrication, it would be pol- 
luted. In like manner the Temple of Solomon was built 
by the divine direction, without the noise of metallic 
tools ; the stones being hewn in the quarry, then carved, 
marked, and numbered ; the timber felled in the forest 
of Lebanon, there carved, marked, and numbered also. 
They were then floated down to Joppa, and from thence 
conveyed upon wooden carriages to Mount Moriah at 
Jerusalem, and there set up with wooden mauls made 
for that purpose ; so that there was not heard the sound 
of axe, hammer, or metal tool throughout the whole 
building, for fear the Temple should be polluted.' 

"'The sense of this is plain,' Bro. the Rev. S. Colman 
observed, 'and the excellence of the Craft thereby 
proved ; for though the stone and timbers were prepared 
at so great a distance, yet when they were put together, 
each part tallied with such exact nicety, that the Temple 
appeared to be constructed of a single stone. From this 
result the Jews, and some Masons, have adopted the 
fancy that they were not cut and polished by any instru- 
ment ; but that a worm, called Samir by the Jews, and 
Shermah by the Masons, accomplished the work under 
the Divine direction, and that they were fitted into their 
respective places on Mount Moriah by the agency of 
angels. It may, however, be remarked, that the trans- 
action was an emblem of the peace and quietness which 
ought to exist in the Christian Church, where all things 
should be done decently and in order. But, R. W. Sir, 
the most important point that it will be necessary to 
enlighten our young Brethren upon is the peculiar state 
in which they made their first appearance in the Lodge, 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 269 

which may otherwise be the cause of some misappre- 
hension on the nature and occult practices of the Or- 
der.' 

"'Thank you, Bro. Colman, for the suggestion,' said 
the R. W. M., 'which I had nearly overlooked. You 
will observe then, my young friends, that the compli- 
cated preparation for the ceremony you have just wit- 
nessed, is intended to impress upon your minds how 
dependent you are on others for every comfort, as well 
as for every advantage you enjoy. The state of mutual 
subordination in which God has placed His creatures 
ought to exclude an inordinate regard for self, and 
annihilate its influence by a desire to promote the happi- 
ness and welfare of others. Man was not born for him- 
self alone, but to contribute his quota towards the gene- 
ral benefit of the community. When, therefore, you see 
a worthy Brother reduced, by unavoidable misfortunes, 
to a state of distress — poor and penniless — if you be 
impressed with a due sense of your responsibility as 
Masons, pity will flow from your hearts, attended with 
that relief which his necessities may recpiire, and your 
own circumstances will admit. But you are never ex- 
pected to extend your charity beyond what you can con- 
veniently afford. And after all, this is not masonic 
charity, but relief, and there is a wide distinction between 
the two, which I would recommend you never to lose 
sight of.' 

"'Perhaps you would favour the Lodge with your 
own definition of masonic charity,' said Bro. James 
Deans. ' The candidates would be edified by the recital, 
and the Brethren cannot hear it too often.' 

"'With pleasure, Bro. Deans. The universal charity 
of a Mason is like the charity of the Mason's God, and 
his God is the God of love. Within the Compass of his 
mind, he measures and draws the Square of his conduct; 
and within that Square, having honestly provided for his 
own household, he forms his little angles of benevolence 
and charity to the distressed of all communities. He 
visits the fatherless and the widow, not out of idle curi- 
osity, to know the extremity of distress, but, from the 
impulse of a loving heart, to cherish and to relieve. He 
searches out the secret and concealed cottages of distress: 
pours the balm, and oil, and wine of consolation into 
the bosom of sorrow, affliction, and misery ; and through 



270 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

the influence of the love of God and of his Brother, he 
thus keeps himself unspotted from the evil of the world. 
This is true Masonry; this is true religion, and the con- 
duct of every true Mason. Masonic charity is the charity 
of the heart ; he thinks no evil of his Brother ; he cher- 
ishes no designs against him. It is charity upon the 
tongue also ; he speaks no evil ; bears no false witness ; 
defames no character; blasts no reputation; he knows 
that to take away a good name is to commit an evil, the 
damage of which no wealth can repay — it is of more 
value than great riches — rubies cannot repurchase it — 
the gold of Ophir cannot gild it again to its original 
beauty. It is the charity of the hand also ; he antici- 
pates his Brother's wants, nor forces him to the pain of 
petition ; he enters the house of woe, and there finds the 
mouth he ought to feed, the sickness he ought to cure, 
and, perhaps, also, the very mind he ought to instruct 
before it can be fitted for an eternal world. Thus the 
heart, the tongue, the hand of the really Free and Ac- 
cepted Mason, are warmly engaged and diligently exer- 
cised in all those grand principles of the Royal Order 
which render it in its nature and effects so much like the 
Order of that amiable band, whose love to each other so 
forcibly convinced their adversaries as to draw from them 
that honourable acclamation — "See how these Christians 
love!'" 

"At this point, one of the candidates said, inquiringly, 
'But the secresy, R. W. Sir; I am anxious to hear your 
reasons for it.' 

" The R. W. M. replied, * My dear Brethren, you must 
not be too eager in your inquiries. The secret of Masonry, 
and the reasons for it, will be communicated in due 
course. You are at present only on the threshold of 
Masonry, and must not expect to attain to a full devel- 
opment of our mysteries till you have not only passed 
through all the degrees, but have employed much study 
and research in their attainment. At present you have 
received the keys of our treasure in the signs, words, and 
tokens of the First Degree, and the Lodge is now 
employed in giving }^ou a lesson on its philosophy. You 
must, therefore, at present be contented with knowing 
that you are bound to observe the strictest secresy 
respecting the occult points of the masonic science. In 
the ordinary transactions of life, as in Masonry, an 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 271 

apprentice is bound by his obligation to keep his master's 
secrets. Before your admission you were in a state of 
darkness, as a member of the profane world, and hence 
you are to learn that it is one part of your duty to keep 
all mankind in the darkness of ignorance respecting the 
secrets of Masonry, unless they come to the knowledge 
of them in the same lawful manner that you have done — 
L c, by initiation; for it is a necessary preparation, that 
the heart should be taught to conceal before the eyes are 
suffered to discover any valuable and recondite informa- 
tion.' 

" 'These remarks on the several points of your prepa- 
ration,' the R. W. M. continued, ' will, I have no doubt, 
satisfactorily point out that our ceremonies are neither 
trifling nor unimportant, but have a moral reference to 
something of a higher and more dignified character than 
the observances themselves would appear to indicate. 
Do you think it improbable that simple rites should 
convey a complex meaning, or that they cannot be signi- 
ficant because they are not complicated? Why, the 
distinguishing peculiarity of the masonic ritual is the 
unsophisticated character of its construction. It is very 
possible, however, that you may have formed certain 
frivolous conjectures respecting some few particulars 
connected with the mode of your preparation, which 
may not square with your preconceived views of the 
probable mode of your reception ; but I trust that the 
explanations you have heard will turn the channel of 
your ideas into a more favourable construction of our 
plan. I am anxious that you should not quit the Lodge 
this evening without a competent knowledge of the ulti- 
mate reference of our proceedings; and for this purpose, 
though at the risk of being accounted tedious, I shall 
now give you a Lecture on our Tressel Board, which, 
added to what has been already said, will convey such a 
meed of instruction as will at least enable you to reflect 
without regret on the scene of your first introduction 
into a Masonic Lodge.' 

"The Lecture was given in Bro. Inwood's best style," 
said the Square; "and when the Lodge was closed, the 
Brethren returned to their respective homes, delighted 
and edified with the instruction they had received from 
the Chair." 



272 



CHAPTER XV. 

LADY MASONS. WILLIAM MEYRICK, JOSEPH SHADBOLT. 

1803—1810. 



-Freemasonry 



Is like the Ladder in the Patriarch's dream, 

Its foot on earth, its height above the skies, 

Diffus'd its virtue, boundless is its pow'r ; 

'Tis public health, and universal cure. 

Of heavenly manna 'tis a second feast, 

A nation's food, and all to every taste." — Prior. 

"Kepe your rule. And then care not who se youre rule, who rede 
your rule, who knowe your rule. Eede it your selfe, knowe it your 
selfe, preche it, teche it, and openly shewe it. Be nothyng afrayd 
ne daungerous therof so ye fyrst kepe it and werke it." — Eicharde 
Whytforde. (m.cccc.xv.,) 

"Masonry is one of the most sublime and perfect institutions that 
ever was formed for the advancement of happiness and general good 
to mankind ; creating, in all its varieties, universal benevolence and 
Brotherly love. It teaches us those useful, wise, and instructive 
doctrines upon which alone true happiness is founded ; and at the 
same time affords those easy paths by which to attain the rewards of 
virtue; it teaches us the duties which we owe to our neighbour; 
never to injure him in any one situation, but to conduct ourselves 
with justice and impartiality ; it bids us not to divulge the mystery 
to the public, and it orders us to be true to our trust, to be above all 
meanness and dissimulation, and in all our avocations to perform 
religiously that which we ought to do." — H. K. H. the Duke of 
Sussex. 



The Square, being a primitive implement, exhibited 
at the building of Solomon's Temple, and used at a 
much earlier period, as no fine piece of architecture 
could be completed without its assistance, — my com- 
panion and instructor occasionally adduced Old World 
incidents and anecdotes in illustration of his historical 
and moral maxims ; and he now broke off abruptly, to 
edify my mind by a simple anecdote of ancient times : — • 
"When Eudamidas, the Lacedemonian general," he 
observed, " first saw Xenocrates, the philosopher, with a 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 273 

beard as white as snow, reaching below his girdle, he 
inquired of a friend who that venerable old man was. 
'A wise man J was the reply, ' seeking after truth.' The next 
question was, ' When does he calculate on reducing it to 
practice, after it is found, if he be still employed in the 
search V 

" The same may be said of those who defer the study 
of Freemasonry to a late period of life — they will have 
little time left to enjoy the benefit of its acquisition. 
Whoever is desirous of becoming a birght and active 
Mason, let him take advantage of the spring time of life, 
when ardent spirits predominate, and joy, and love, and 
hope unite to animate his soul to active enterprises, and 
fill it with genial aspirations." 

After he had applied this little anecdote to his satis- 
faction, the Square gave a triumphant twirl, and then 
went quietly on. 

"Bro. W. Meyrick," he said, "was elected R. W. M. 
of our Lodge on St. John's day, 1S02, and proved an 
active and zealous Officer, and his services to Masonry, 
uniformly conceded for a series of years, elevated him at 
length to the proud distinction of Senior Warden in the 
Lodge of Reconciliation at the Union between the two 
sections, termed ancient and modern Masons, and Grand 
Registrar in the United Grand Lodge of England, after 
that event had restored perfect harmony to the English 
Craft. 

"I was much pleased," the Square continued, "at his 
Installation Banquet or annual festival of the Lodge, 
with the brief, but very comprehensive manner in which 
he returned thanks for the handsome reception his name 
met with from the assembled Brethren, when his health 
was proposed by Bro. Inwood, the Past Master. I drew 
from it a favourable presentiment of what his govern- 
ment would be. 

" 'Brethren,' he said, 'I beg leave to return my best 
thanks for this additional mark of your esteem. Some 
years have now elapsed since I enjoyed the gratification 
of sitting with you at the festive board of Masonry. 
During that period, prejudices of long standing have 
yielded to the voice of truth. Like the dense vapours 
which darken the atmosphere, and obscure the face of 
the sun, they have been broken by a bright ray from the 
glory in the centre ; they float before the reason as the 



274 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

light and impalpable clouds chequer the clear expanse 
of heaven, and will at length be wholly dissipated, and 
leave our science before the world's eye, clad in all its 
glories of wisdom, strength, and beauty. Permit me to 
offer, not only my thanks, but my best and most heart- 
felt wishes. As men, may you enjoy every happiness 
and prosperity this world can afford ; as Christians, may 
you have peace in this world, and happiness in the next ; 
as Masons, may } r ou enjoy the intellectual supremacy 
which the science you profess is so well calculated to 
bestow ; may your Brethren always speak as well of you 
in your absence as in your presence ; may no slanderous 
tongues, like the assassins of Tyre, destroy your fair 
fame; may no cold-hearted envy efface in your breasts 
the excellent and invaluable precepts and principles 
imparted by our Lectures ; may you practice morality 
and justice by the Square, equality by the Level, and 
integrity by the Plumb ; like the Perfect Ashlar, may 
your mind be so true in all its feelings and propensities, 
as to be able to undergo the ordeal of the Square of God's 
word, and the Compass of your own conscience ; that when 
death, the Grand Leveller of all human greatness, shall 
have drawn his sable curtain round your bed, you may 
receive possession of an immortal inheritance in those 
heavenly mansions veiled from mortal eye by the starry 
firmament, and be admitted by the Grand Master of the 
whole universe into His celestial Lodge, where peace, 
order, and harmony shall eternally reign.' 

"During this period," the Square continued, "the 
true friends of masonic literature were neither few noi 
idle ; and the beginning of the century was marked by 
several published Addresses and Sermons. The names 
of Samuel Oliver, 1 Killick, and Bryan, 2 Dr. Orme, 3 

1 "A masonic Sermon, preached in St. John's Church, Peter- 
borough, July 26th, 1802; being the day appointed for the Consecra- 
tion of the Lodge of St. Peter within that city. By the Rev. S. Oliver, 
Chaplain of the same Lodge, Member of the Union Lodge, Notting- 
ham, and Honorary Member of the Scientific Lodge, Cambridge. 
Cambridge, Nicholson, 1803." 

2 " Two masonic Addresses delivered in the Lodge of Freedom, 
Grravesend, Dec. 27, 1803; being the Anniversary of the Festival of 
St. John the Evangelist. By Brothers Killick and Bryan. London, 
Aspeme, 1804." 

3 " A Sermon preached in the Church of Louth, at a Provincial 
Grand Meeting of Free and Accepted Masons, Aug. 13th, 1804. By 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 275 

Stephen Jones, 1 and Hyppolita Da Costa, 5 were familiar 
to the London Craft, and their several productions were 
read to the Brethren as Lectures. 

" Meantime our Lodge continued to prosper under the 
Mastership of Bro. Meyrick ; and well it might, as you 
may judge from the part he took in an interesting con- 
versation which occurred at a meeting when the Lodge 
was remarkably well attended, and in which his know- 
ledge of the tendency of genuine Masonry became appa- 
rent to his hearers. 

" He had been explaining the supporting pillars of the 
Lodge, in connection with the three rounds of the 
masonic Ladder, and concluded by saying — ' The great 
and distinguishing principle on which Freemasonry is 
founded, as you all know, is Brotherly Love — a principle 
which w T as equally unknown both to Jews and heathens, 
either in youth or age. Many of the latter spent their 
whole lives in search of virtue, but without success, for 
they failed to discover the chief of all virtues — charity 
and love towards each other.' 

" When the E. W. M. had concluded his Lecture, Bro. 
Shadbolt rose and said — c R. W. Sir, it strikes me that 
the sole reason why heathen nations did not practise the 
pre-eminent virtue of Brotherly Love, was, because they 
did not understand it. And hence when it was first 
brought practically under their notice by the early 
Christians, they expressed their surprise by asking one 
another whether they were acquainted with the myste- 
rious link which cemented the Christians together, or the 
process by which they arrived at that display of mutual 

the Kev. Thomas Orme, D.D., F.S.A., Prov. Grand Chaplain for the 
comity of Lincoln. Louth, Sheardown, 1804." 

4 " A Vindication of Masonry." "Cursory Thoughts on the Ma- 
sonic Institution ; being part of a Letter addressed to the Author of 
the Illustrations of Masonry." " A Friendly Remonstrance to a skil- 
ful but over-zealous Mason." "A short Hint to the Fraternity at 
large." With many other orations and addresses by various Breth- 
ren. " Masonic Miscellanies in poetry and prose. In three parts. 
1. The Muse of Masonry, comprising nearly two hundred masonic 
Songs, adapted to familiar tunes. 2. The Masonic Essayist. 3. The 
Freemason's Vade Mecum." By Stephen Jones, P.M. of the Lodge 
of Antiquity. London, 1797. Second Edition, 1811. 

5 "Narrative of his Persecution in Lisbon by the Inquisition, for 
the pretended crime of Freemasonry. By M. Hyppolita Joseph da 
Costa, Representative of the Portuguese Lodges in the Grand Lodge 
of England. 2 yols., 8vo. London, Sherwood, 1811." 



276 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

love and charity which distinguished them from all 
people amongst whom they lived ? And when the Empe- 
ror Decius commanded them to produce their treasures, 
they brought the lame, the blind, the diseased, the widows 
and fatherless children that were supported at the com- 
mon expense of the Church, and said, These are our 
treasures : they are the only wealth which Christ 
bequeathed to His followers. The same may be said of 
Freemasonry, when practised in accordance with the 
doctrines enunciated in its Lectures.' 

" 'But if this view of the matter be correct,' Bro. 
Tegart observed, 'how are we to account for the in- 
stances that did actually occur, of such disinterested 
affection, both amongst Jews and heathens, as undoubt- 
edly existed between David and Jonathan, Nysus and 
Euryalus, Damon and Pythias, and others in the same 
category?' 

" ' The solitary exceptions,' replied Bro. Meyrick, ' serve 
to make the rule more evident. Exceptio probat regulam. 
They did not occur once in a century ; and in every 
recorded instance, the sentiment was not practised as a 
principle, but as a passion, seldom witnessed, little under- 
stood, and barren of fruits to the rest of mankind.' 

"'True,' said Bro. In wood; 'and this very obser- 
vation places the system of Freemasonry in a new and 
beautiful point of view. That Sacred Volume which con- 
secrates the Master's pedestal, and enlightens and sanc- 
tifies our proceedings, has its corresponding doctrines 
embodied in the Lectures.' 

" ' Otherwise,' the R. W. M. interposed, ' the Lectures 
would be inanimate, vapid, and useless. Our frequent 
appeals to the Grand Architect for favour and protection, 
display our firm belief in the Most High, whilst the first 
and third steps of the winding staircase are referred to 
the Trinity in Unity, both displaying our renunciation of 
the cold and repulsive principles of deism, which are 
clearly denounced in the Ancient Charges.' 6 

G In which it is distinctly provided that "a Mason is obliged by 
his tenure to believe firmly in the true worship of the eternal God, as 
well as in all those sacred records which the dignitaries and fathers 
of the Church have compiled and published for the use of good men ; 
so that no one, who rightly understands the rite, can possibly tread 
in the irreligious path of the unhappy libertine, or be induced to 
follow the arrogant professors of atheism or deism ; neither is he to 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 277 

" 'And an evidence of the same truth,' said Bro. Hem- 
ming, ' is afforded in a series of tests that were used by 
the four old Lodges before the revival in 1717 ; a portion 
of which ran in this form : — 'How many precious jewels 
has a Mason? Three; a square Ashlar, a diamond, and 
a square. — How many lights? Three ; a right east, south, 
and west. What do they represent? Three divine per- 
sons ; Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. — How many pillars? 
Two; Jachin and Boaz. — What do they represent ? The 
Strength and Stability of the Church in all ages. — How 
many angles in St. John's Lodge? Four, bordering on 
squares, or a perfect cross.' 

"•'And yet,' Bro. Inwood responded, 'strange to say, 
notwithstanding these distinct and unequivocal avowals, 
our opponents appear determined to make our Lodges so 
many nests to mature and disseminate the filthy dogmata 
of infidelity. Our protestations to the contrary they 
affect to disbelieve, in order that they may have the gra- 
tification of keeping up a kind of guerrilla war against us ; 
for if they were deprived of that hackneyed objection, 
which has been refuted a thousand times over, they 
would have no excuse for the discharge of their splenetic 
diatribes against the Order.' 

" ' The above representation,' said the R. W. M., ' shows 
their utter disregard of the plainest facts. It is well 
known that our rituals eschew every system of unbelief 
and false worship which are forbidden in the former por- 
tion of the Decalosrue. The first lesson that a candidate 
receives at his initiation, teaches him never to pronounce 
the sacred name of God but with that reverential awe 
which becomes a creature to bear to his Creator ; to look 
upon him as the Summum Bonum which we came into 
the world to enjoy, and to regulate all our pursuits 
according to that unerring principle. To act upon the 
square with our neighbours, by doing as we would be 
done by; and by avoiding all intemperance and excess, 



be stained by the gross errors of blind superstition, but may have the 
liberty of embracing what faith he should think proper, provided at 
all times he pays a due reverence to the Creator, and deals with 
honour and honesty towards his fellow-creatures ; ever making that 
golden precept of Christianity the standing rule of his actions, which 
engages him to do unto all men as he would have them do to him." 
— See the Ahiman Eezon, Ed. 1813, p. 18. 
19 



278 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

whereby we ourselves may be rendered incapable of 
following our work, or be led into any behaviour which 
is unbecoming to our laudable profession.' 

" ' This recommendation,' the R. W. M. continued, 
' which is taken verbatim from the Lectures, forbids a 
breach of the third commandment. And the following 
examination questions equally evince our punctual observ- 
ance of the fourth. — 'Have you ever worked as a 
Mason? Where? How long?' 'Six days in the week.' — 
' And why not on the seventh?' ' Because the Almighty 
has strictly commanded that day to be kept holy.' — Nor 
has the latter portion of the Decalogue been overlooked 
in the construction of our very comprehensive system. 
The duty of children to their parents is taught by the 
Lewis. We are warned of the evil consequences and sin 
of murder by the remorse and punishment of certain 
Tyrian assassins, when the Temple at Jerusalem was 
completed ; of adultery, by the 0. B. of a M. M. ; of 
covetousness and theft, by the four original Signs; of 
slander and false witness, by the Key; and of interfering 
with the property of others by the Moveable Jewels.' 

" ' But, notwithstanding the purity of these doctrines,' 
said Bro. M'Grillivray, ' which can neither be denied nor 
controverted, and their undoubted efficacy in promoting 
the practice of virtue and morality, it is to be lamented 
that they have not been of sufficient efficacy to prevent 
the sacred floor of the Lodge from being occasionally 
polluted by unworthy men.' 

"'And for this cogent reason,' the R. W. M. re- 
plied, ' while such men outwardly comply with the 
letter of the Constitutions, we cannot pronounce sentence 
of expulsion against them ; nor can they be subjected to 
censure without the clearest proof of some wilful viola- 
tion of masonic law. Philip of Macedon, it is true, 
having two subjects whom he suspected of treason, 
ordered one of them, without any proof, to leave the 
country, and the other to follow him ; but we have no 
law which decrees expulsion from a Lodge, without ample 
evidence of some determinate offence.' 

"'This truth is illustrated,' Bro. Stephen Jones 
observed, 'in the conduct of the impostor Cagliostro, 
who conducted his masonic innovations with so much 
tact and judgment, as to steer clear of the laws then in 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 279 

force on the continent of Europe; for they were not 
sufficiently stringent to prevent the encroachments of 
designing empirics, and hence such characters became 
numerous and successful, both in France and Germany, 
and by their mercenary dealings brought great discredit 
on the Order. 

"'The true principles on which Masons ought to 
govern their life and conduct,' the R. W. M. observed, 
; are very simple, and plainly chalked out in the First 
Great Light, which, being the Tracing Board of the 
Most High, presents a perfect idea of the excellent plans 
and moral designs by which our commerce with the 
world ought to be regulated. Indeed, when we look at 
Freemasonry, and consider its antiquity, its usefulness, 
its vast aggregate of simple piety and unostentatious 
benevolence, its countless host of enthusiastic champions, 
its unburdensome support, its innumerable charitable 
institutions, we ought cordially to unite in the preserva- 
tion of such a beneficent Order from the attacks of 
envious Cowans, when, like the wild boar out of the 
woods, they would break down its fences, and destroy its 
fruits.' 

" ' The Second Great Light of Masonry,' the R. W. 
M. continued, 'is the Master's Jewel,' — exhibiting me," 
said the Square — " 'and hence our ancient Grand Master, 
King Solomon, has left it on record, that the lips of 
knowledge are a precious Jewel. 7 And as its operative 
use is to bring rude matter into due form, so it is appro- 
priated to the chief Officer and Ruler of the Lodge, as 
an allegorical emblem, suggestive of his numerous and 
paramount duties, and to indicate, that to preserve har- 
mony among the Brethren, his chief care should be to 
suppress promptly and firmly, by the certain process 
of morality and justice, every attempt at insubordination, 
and to cause all animosities to cease, should any unfortu- 
nately exist, that order and good-fellowship may be 
perfect and complete.' 

"'And R. W. Sir,' Bro. Inwood added, 'every consci- 
entious Master, who consults his own credit equally with 
the reputation and stability of his Lodge, will emulate 
the qualities which are symbolized by the Square ; and, 

7 Prov. xx., 15. 



280 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

when judiciously exercised, they will add dignity to the 
office, and convey an influence which cannot fail to pro- 
duce a salutary effect on the community under his juris- 
diction, and elevate the Order to its proper rank in the 
opinion of mankind.' 

'"Nor ought the Third Great Light to be overlook- 
ed,' said Bro. Hemming, 'for without its assistance the 
expert architect could not complete his magnificent 
designs, or bring his plans to perfection. And hence it 
constitutes in Speculative Masonry the appropriate badge 
of the Grand Master, because the government of the 
entire Order is committed to his charge, and he is 
required, not only to be true and faithful, but, in the exer- 
cise of his office, to adopt such judicious plans and 
designs as may gradually and effectually advance its pri- 
vate interests and public popularity, and contribute to 
the general benefit of its Members, both in and out of 
the Lodge.' 

"'This significant symbol,' Bro. Shadbolt observed, 
' possesses, as I am inclined to think, a further and still 
more important reference. It should suggest to the 
Grand Master a due caution not to be biassed or led 
astray, by the advice of interested or injudicious friends, 
from that cause which his judgment pronounces to be 
the best adapted to promote the universal prosperity of 
the Craft ; for not only in Masonry, but in every other 
institution, whether scientific or political, many council- 
lors will arise, whose deliberations, like those of Achito- 
phel, are influenced more by a regard to their own per- 
sonal interests than the benefit of the' Society which 
they profess to entertain an anxious desire to improve. 
In the words of Dryden, slightly altered, — 

4 To further this the charlatan enlists 
The malcontents of all the separatists, 
Whose differing parties he could wisely join, 
For several ends to serve the same design, 
Ho heads the faction while their zeal is hot, 
And popularly prosecutes the plot.' 

" ' The Theological Virtues,' said Bro. Deans, ' which 
you, R. W. Sir, have so ably illustrated, and are so high- 
ly esteemed among Masons as to assume a prominent 
situation amongst our symbols, will admit, I venture to 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 2S1 

suggest, of a more extended illustration than is assigned 
to them in our Lectures; and I am sure the Brethren 
present would be gratified to hear your sentiments on 
that interesting subject.' 

"The R. W. M. being thus appealed to," said the 
Square, " replied without hesitation, ' That their refer- 
ence might be safely extended to other topics of the 
utmost consequence to the best interests of man on this 
side the grave, as preparatory to a more perfect state of 
existence in another and a better world. They may be 
likened to the Three Pillars of the Lodge, which point 
out the three ages of man, and the three prismatic co- 
lours, blue, purple, and crimson. The initiatory rite of 
baptism amongst Christians, and admission into the 
Lodge.amongst ourselves, are symbolized by the White, 
as the representative of external purity, and internal 
truth, embodied in the Apron of lambskin — that animal 
being the personification of innocence. Blue, the colour 
of Faith, represents the First Degree, because it is an 
emblem of Creation, the first work of T. G. A. 0. T. U., 
and hence, in the cosmogonies of all nations, the Creator 
is painted blue, in reference to his perfect wisdom.' 

" 'Purple, the colour of Hope,' continued Bro. Mey- 
rick, 'denotes the Second Degree, as well as the second 
stage of life, and the Pillar of Strength. It was royal, 
and formed the usual clothing of kings and princes. 
Thus, Xenophon says in the " Cyropaedia," that his roy- 
al hero was clad in a vest of a purple colour, half mixed 
with white. His outer robe was wholly of purple, and 
on his legs he had yellow buskins. This description 
naturally reminds us of the yellow jacket and blue 
breeches of our ancient Brethren. Purple was adopted 
as the colour of a Fellowcraft, which w^as the highest 
degree acquired by the Fratern^ in ancient times, and 
even qualified a Brother for the office of Grand Master. 
It also referred to the middle stage of life, through 
which every one passess in his progress from infancy to 
old age, or from birth to death. This colour was placed 
on tombs in Christian symbolism, to illustrate the solemn 
doctrine — u In the midst of life, we are in death."' 

" ' Charity was represented by the Crimson or Rose, 
which is the colour of beauty, and belonged to the clo- 
sing stage of human life, and the Third Degree of 



282 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Masonry. In the spurious Freemasonry of Greece and 
Rome, the rose was a symbol of death and resurrection, 
which were imitated in the ceremonies of initiation. 
And it was used by our Fraternity for much the same 
reason. An unfailing Charity is the ever-burning fire of 
the heart ; and Freemasonry enlightens the mind of the 
candidate, by opening it to the influence of divine love, 
and instilling that degree of purity, which is the chief 
end of masonic regeneration.' 

'"This combination,' the R. W. M. concluded, ' of the 
Three Degrees of Masonry, the Three Colours and Pil- 
lars of the Lodge, with the Three Ages of Man, will 
fairly place the Free and Accepted Mason, through the 
medium of Faith, Hope, and Charity, on his way to 
those celestial mansions which are veiled from mortal eye 
by a canopy of clouds ; and if he shall continue in this 
effectual walk of Faith, he has a promise of shining like 
the stars for ever and ever.' 

"'I should rather have been inclined to transpose 
these remarkable coincidences,' said Bro. Inwood, ' and 
make the infant to represent Beauty, the man Strength, 
and old age Wisdom.' 



U i 



I had some conversation a short time ago,' said Bro. 
M'Gillivray, 'with a Hebrew Mason, who had been on 
the continent ; and he informed me that his Brethren 
there reject and totally repudiate our application of Faith, 
Hope, and Charity, to Freemasonry, because they are 
the peculiar virtues of Christianity, and belong to no 
other system of religion that ever existed on the face of 
the earth. The staves or rounds of the Ladder, which 
we term innumerable, they limit to seventy-two. These, 
they say, refer to so many branches of science, over 
which Jehovah presides, because they all derive their 
essence from the Divine power. But they subjoin no 
account of its origin or symbolical use, and simply say 
that it is called by the allegorical cabalists l'Echelie de 
Jacob.' 

'"The argument is evidently delusive,' replied Bro. 
Hemming; 'because, if that be the name which they 
assign to it, their explanation falls to the ground ; for it 
cannot, in that case, have any other reference than to the 
Theological Ladder of our system of Freemasonry, which 
has the Holy Bible for its basis, Faith, Hope, and Charity 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 283 

for its supporters, Jehovah for its president, and Heaven 
for its end.' 

"'The true masonic philosopher,' said the R. W. M., 
1 sees in all things an ever-present Deity, as the Governor 
and Director of those magnificent works which proceeded 
from His hand, all guided by the celestial dictates of 
these Theological virtues. If the trees of the field bud 
and blossom under the influence of a genial sun — if the 
teeming earth is irrigated with gentle showers — if 

' Fleecy flocks the hills adorn, 
And valleys smile with wavy corn ;' 

it is the blessed ordinance of a benignant Divinity. If 
the great ruler of the day rise in the morning to call the 
inhabitants of the earth from their slumbers, and com- 
mence their labours — if the ruler of the night move ma- 
jestically through the heavens, partially enlightening the 
darkness with her silver light, and dividing the year into 
twelve equal portions for the convenience of man ; — if 
the stars and planets with which the firmament is studded, 
like an azure canopy charged with sparkling knobs of 
burnished gold, pursue their accustomed courses century 
after century without the slightest deviation — it is to 
display the power and goodness of the Great Architect, 
and His provident care in making all the works of the 
creation subservient to one object — the comfort and 
happiness of His creatures. And we ought reverentially 
to bow the knee, and exclaim with our Ancient Grand 
Master, "Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, 
or the son of man that thou visitest him?"' 

"'Excellent!' said Bro. Tegart; 'this is the true poe- 
try of Freemasonry, and an able illustration of the ordi- 
nary labours of a well-conditioned Lodge.' 

"'But this is not all,' said Bro. Inwood. 'The R. W. 
M. will tell you that our labours and investigations 
extend also to many sublime branches of science and 
philosophy, human and divine, which admit of anrple 
discussion under the care of a judicious and talented 
Master, when performing the paramount duty of his high 
station — the instruction and improvement of the Brethren 
in Masonry.' 

" 'It is quite true,' Bro. Hemming observed; 'and in 
the absence of such researches, Freemasonry will be but 



234 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

a name without a substance, and will fail to convey any 
peculiar benefits. Without a proper attention to its 
poetry and philosophy, the Lodge would sink to the level 
of an ordinary club-room, and the Brethren into mere 
members of a convivial society. And it may be for this 
reason that so many of the Fraternity appear to entertain 
an indifferent opinion of the Order, because their atten- 
tion has not been drawn to these prominent beauties 
which are applicable to the best interests of man, 
whether in this world, or in that which is to come.' 

"During the course of this discussion," the Square 
parenthetically observed, "Brothers Shelton and Marshall 
frequently cast a significant look at each other, in which 
weariness and dissatisfaction were combined; but they 
wisely held their peace. 

" ' The Free and Accepted Mason,' replied the R.W.M., 
' who is really desirous of deriving benefit from the prac- 
tice of Masonry, will never entertain any doubts respecting 
the intrinsic excellency of the lessons he receives in open 
Lodge, because doubt leads to despair, and despair to re- 
nunciation. Let him take a lesson from honest John 
Bunyan, who very judiciously makes the giant Despair 
the occupant of Doubting Castle, in which^the pilgrims 
atoned for their doubts by imprisonment in one of its 
deepest dungeons. Hope, however, revived, and they 
opened the gates of the dreary cell with the Key of 
promise.' 

" ' The most effectual safeguard,' Bro. Inwood observed, 
'against the encroachments of doubt, is prayer, which 
constitutes an essential element in the system of Free- 
masoniy. Our Lodges are opened and closed with prayer; 
and the same holy exercise accompanies the ceremonies 
of every degree. And if the Mason hopes to attain the 
summit of the Ladder which terminates in the Cloudy 
Canopy, it must be by the prayer of Faith and Hope, 
and the exercise of Charity; for these are the only steps 
by which he can have access to the glories that lie be- 
yond it, and lead to the regions of everlasting Light.' 

"'And yet,' said Bro. Hemming, 'some of our adver- 
saries contend that the Society is anti-Christian. But to 
mark more strongly the utter absurdity of the imputa- 
tion, another class of opponents, with Professor Buhle 
at their head, assert that we exclude anti-Christians from 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 2S5 

our assemblies ! His words, as we learn from a paper, 
read only last year before the Philosophical Society of 
Gottingen, are, ' Women, children, those icho are not in full 
possession of civil freedom, Jews, anti- Christians, and Roman 
Catholics, are excluded from the Society of Freemasons.'' 

"'So conflicting and unscrupulous,' the R. W. M. re- 
plied, « are the assertions of all who decry Masonry, 
without understanding either what they say, or whereof 
they affirm. Freemasonry, however, furnishes a series of 
rules by which every true-hearted Brother may easily 
surmount the difficulties which, impede his progress in 
the pursuit of knowledge. And if he adheres, amidst 
evil report and good report, to the precepts which are 
promulgated from the Master's Chair, and applies them 
steadily to his masonic and Christian duties, he will be 
at no loss to steer his course, be the vituperations of the 
Antimason ever so loud, or the conjectures of the cowan 
ever so absurd ; and with the promised land in view, he 
will go on his way, rejoicing in the hope of attaining to 
its never-fading glories.' 

"In the year 1808," the Square continued, " viz., on 
St. John's day, Bro. Shadbolt was installed into the 
Chair, and proved worthy of the honour conferred upon 
him. I remember an amusing conversation which took 
place in the Lodge on the subject of female Freemasonry, 
during his year of office, which may be interesting to 
you. 

"In order to make it intelligible, you will observe that 
the Lodges of Adoption on the continent of Europe, 
which admitted females to share in the celebrations, re- 
sumed their meetings after the excitement occasioned by 
the French Revolution had subsided. On a notice to 
that effect issued by authority, the Members assembled 
in full force, the badges were furbished up or renewed 
with great alacrity, and the initiations were numerous. 
A Grand Festival of the Order was celebrated in Stras- 
burg, over which the Empress Josephine presided; and 
another in Paris, under the presidency of the Duchesse 
de Vaudemont, which were attended by many of the chief 
nobility of France, both male and female. 

"On the evening to which I have referred," said my 
entertaining instructor, "a visitor was introduced by Bro. 
M'Gillivray, who had been residing some time at Paris. 



286 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

He informed us that he had attended several meetings of 
the Adoptive Masonry, and found them conducted with 
remarkable order and propriety. 

"The R. W. M. asked him if he had witnessed an 
initiation ? 

"He replied, that he had enjoyed the good fortune of 
being present when each of the Five Degrees was con- 
ferred. 

"'Do you recollect the names of the Degrees?' Bro. 
M'Gillivray inquired. 

"'Perfectly. They are, 1. Apprentie. 2. Compag- 
none. 3. Maitresse. 4. Parfait. 5. Elue. Under this 
arrangement, the Jewel of the Order is a Golden Ladder, 
with five rounds or staves. Originally, however, the 
Androgyne Lodges had only Four Degrees, which were 
denominated l'Apprentissage, la Compagnonnage, la Mai- 
trise, and la Maitrise parfaite ; but this arrangement has 
been discontinued for many years.' 

"'Are you at liberty,' said Bro. Meyrick, 'to commu- 
nicate the ceremonies?' 

"'I was allowed to witness them,' our intelligent 
visitor replied, 'without any injunctions of secresy; for 
I believe all Freemasons,' who have passed the degree of 
a Fellowcraft, are eligible for admission.' 

"'I am afraid,' Bro. In wood suggested, 'that there 
must be some degree of indelicacy in the proceedings.' 

" ' Not the slightest, I assure you,' said the visitor. 
' The ceremonies are conducted with the most laudable 
decorum. We are, of course, totally ignorant of the 
proceedings of the dark room, as none but females are 
admitted to that penetralia, and the preparations are 
conducted by females only. But when these are com- 
pleted, and the trials of fortitude come on, the novice is 
conducted through the process by a lady and gentleman 
together.' 

" ' The lady candidates, I presume, are not subjected 
to any very severe tests,' Bro. S. Jones observed. 

" 'By my faith,' said the visitor earnestly, ' but you 
are mistaken. The trials they have to undergo would 
be sufficient to make many of our more robust sex 
tremble.' 

" ' Their powers of endurance, however,' Bro. Tegart 
observed, ' cannot be veiy strictly dealt with, or many 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 2S7 

of them would shrink from the infliction, and the num- 
ber of initiations would be considerably reduced.' 

" ' On the contrary,' the visitor replied, ' their trials 
are urged to the severest extremity, and the novices 
endure them bravely. Occasionally, indeed, a timid 
female may faint during the harrowing process, and I am 
told it does sometimes happen. An anecdote is related 
of an event of this kind which occurred at the Revolu- 
tion, just before the Lodges were closed.' 

" ' Which you will perhaps do us the favour to relate,' 
the R. W. M. interposed. 

" ' With the greatest pleasure,' our visitor replied. 
6 But to make the detail clearly intelligible, I ought first 
to inform you that the Adoptive Lodges are fitted up 
with scenery and machinery like a theatre prepared for 
one of our most complicated pantomimes. This being 
premised, you will have no difficulty in comprehending 
the following extraordinary scene. 

"'A young lady, of somewhat irritable temperament, 
was introduced as a candidate for admission. During the 
preparatory examination, she exhibited a degree of nerv- 
ous excitement, which attracted the observation of the 
Venerable, or R. W. M., and he asked her kindly whether 
she had any confidence in her own fortitude V 

" "I know,' she replied, ' that there is danger to be 
encountered ; but I am not afraid of it.' 

" ' ' Not to deceive you in this matter,' responded the 
Venerable, * I think it right to add that your person will 
be exposed to the most imminent perils ; and if you feel 
any misgivings, it would be better for you to retire un- 
scathed than to fail in courage and resolution ; for if you 
should be so unfortunate as to shrink from the actual 
presence of clanger, you will expose yourself to the con- 
tempt and derision of the Lodge.' 

"''You insult me by your doubts,' said the lady; 
' exhibit your terrors, and see if I shall blanch under 
them.' 

" ' She was accordingly conducted through all the usual 
trials of fortitude, and endured them with the courage 
of a martyr ; and even at last, when placed on the sum- 
mit of the symbolical mountain, and told that she must 
cast herself down from thence into the abyss below, 



288 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

where she saw a double row of bright steel spikes, long 
and sharp.' 

" ' Mimic spikes, of course,' interposed Bro. Inwood. 

" ' No, indeed,' said the stranger; ' they were real, 
substantial spikes, that would have killed a horse, if he 
should have been impaled thereon. The word was given 
to throw herself down, and, with a suppressed shriek, 
she made the required plunge; and so unexpectedly sud- 
den was her obedience, that the Frere terrible, or guide, 
who had charge of the machinery, was scarcely allowed 
time to touch the spring, before she fell recumbent at 
the bottom of the abyss.' 

" ' Poor creature ! What became of her V asked Bro. 
Inwood, highly interested. 

" ' You shall hear. The machinery is so contrived, 
that, at the very moment when the final leap is taken, the 
scene changes to an Elysium of green fields and shady 
trees, bubbling fountains and purling streams ; and be- 
neath the velvet herbage is placed a bed of the softest 
down, to receive the fair body of the exhausted novice 
as she falls. In the present case the lady fainted, and 
lay for a time without motion ; but she was soon restored 
and tranquillized by the application of essences and per- 
fumes, and the soft and soothing influence of delicious 
music. Being afterwards introduced into the Lodge, her 
constancy was rewarded by witnessing, and forming a 
part of, one of the most beautiful and captivating scenes 
I ever beheld.' 

" ' You mean the Lodge, I presume,' said Bro. 
M'Gillivray. 

" * I do. And my description, I am afraid, will do it 
imperfect justice. Imagine a lofty room of ample di- 
mensions, magnificently fitted up and decorated ; the 
richly-ornamented walls adorned with a profusion of 
costly pictures in massive gilt frames, and garlands of 
sweet-smelling flowers ; and at either end of the room 
superb mirrors reaching from the ceiling to the floor ; 
the hangings of crimson velvet and gold ; statues and 
busts disposed in convenient situations ; the floor covered 
with a rich Turkey carpet ; and the room brilliantly 
lighted by cut-glass chandeliers. The II. AV. M., or 
Venerable, and the Grand Maitresse occupy two gorge- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 289 

ous thrones in the east, and the sisters, alternately with 
well-dressed men, are seated around, uniformly habited 
in pure white robes, relieved by aprons and searf's in sky 
blue, from which jewels of gold are suspended ; and 
they are crowned with bouquets of roses. 

" ' Imagine all this, and still it will be impossible to 
understand the effect which this brilliant scene produces 
in the mind. It almost realizes the luxurious description 
of the palace of pleasure in the groves of Shadaski, by 
which the merchant Abudah was ensnared.' 

" ' The French ladies are, of course, enchanted with 
Freemasonry,' Bro. Crespigny observed. 

" ' Why, to say the truth,' the stranger replied, 
1 there are but few that embrace the opportunity. A 
vast majority of the women are pefectly indifferent to 
initiation and all its privileges ; and even those who have 
been admitted, are very remiss in their attendance except 
on occasions where some extraordinary excitement is anti- 
cipated — as a gala, an initiation, a ball, or some other 
species of amusement that is in character with the ano- 
maly of Lady Masons. And some who have evinced a 
feverish anxiety, before their admission, to know the 
secrets, have professed themselves grievously disap- 
pointed. I am acquainted with an instance of this kind, 
which is not uninteresting.' 

" ' And no secret, I presume,' said the E. W. M. 

" ' By no means,' our entertaining visitor replied. 
6 An English young lady of good family, residing at 
Paris, received the addresses of a French gentleman with 
the concurrence of her parents. Matters had been satis- 
factorily arranged ; and as they sat together on the sofa, 
he pressed her to name the happy day.' 

" " If you would but give up that nasty Masonry,' she 
listlessly replied, ' you should have my permission to 
name it yourself.' 

" ' 'Or admit you into the Lodge,' he suggested. 

" " Ah,' she sighed, ' that is a different affair. If that 
could be accomplished indeed ' 

" "We'll see what can be done,' he replied. 

" ' ' Well, Adolphe,' she eagerly responded, 'if you can 
manage that, — why then' — she hesitated. 

" "Then what?' the gentleman asked. 



290 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

" "Why, then, I promise that the marriage shall be 
solemnized within a week.' 

""Agreed,' said the gratified lover, 'you shall be 
made a Mason this very night.' And he left her to 
arrange the necessary preparations. 

" 'In the evening he escorted her to the Lodge-room, 
and she was formally initiated by the celebrated Madame 
Vaudencourt, assisted by the Venerable of the Lodge of 
St. Caroline, and permitted to ascend even to the third 
step of the Adoptive Ladder ; was invested with the 
symbolical apron and sash ; intrusted with the signs, 
tokens, and words ; and after having heard from the ora- 
tor the usual explanations of the antiquity (?), the 
nature and design of the Institution, the banquet was 
introduced, and our curious novice was instructed 
in the mystical signification of the cabalistic words — red 
oil, trim 'your lamp, snuff your lamp, lift up by Jive, &fc. ; 
which being uttered by a sweet and musical voice, pos- 
sess an indescribable charm, of which those who have 
not heard it can form no adequate idea.' 

" ' I have no doubt but your fair friend was immensely 
gratified,' said Bro. Crespigny. 

" ' You shall hear,' replied the visitor. ' The next 
morning our eager lover called on his affianced bride 
early, impatient to receive her thanks and congratula- 
tions for procuring her such an unexpected treat. But 
in answer to his inquiry how she liked Freemasonry, she 
only exclaimed, in a tone of voice resembling the whine 
of a noble hound, which receives a smart cut of the 
whip instead of the expected crust — ' L — a — w ! Adol- 
phe ! and is this a — 11 V 

""All! To be sure it is. What more did you ex- 
pect?' 

" "If that is really all,' she continued, in a listless 
tone of voice; ' I half repent my promise ; for although 
the tout ensemble is very beautiful — as a show — I confess 
I am woefully disappointed.' 

" " Why, what in the name of wonder could you hope 
to see ? Grinning goblins — speaking pictures — or statues 
weeping blood? Or did you expect any magical per- 
formances — evoking spirits, or raising the dead?' 

" " Be quiet, Adolphe,' the lady pettishly replied, 
1 and do not be ridiculous. I can't tell you what I ex- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 291 

pected. All I can say is — that it is "unsatisfactory. 
Heigho ! If this be all — you will be at liberty to attend 
the Lodge at your pleasure; but for myself — I shall go 
no more.' 

" 'What a practical lesson does this anecdote furnish,' 
said Bro. Meyrick, ' to those cowans who affect to term 
the exclusion of females from the celebrations of Masonry 
a blot in our escutcheon!' 

"'Aye,' replied Bro. Tegart, 'and I believe every 
genuine Englishwoman would exhibit the same noble 
feeling, if she were to be forced into Masonry. It is not 
to her taste.' 

'"She would be more agreeably employed,' said Bro. 
Simpson, 'in making shirts for her husband, or puddings 
for her children ; or in pickling walnuts and preserving 
plums.' 

" ' A Frenchwoman,' Bro. Tegart resumed, without at- 
tending to Bro. Simpson's homely remark, 'may be 
pleased with such frippery, and gratified by the adulation 
and subserviency which accompanies it; but our coun- 
trywomen look forward to the more rational pursuits 
and amusements of their sex ; to the pleasure of domestic 
happiness, surrounded by their beloved children; to the 
delights which flow from the practice of Christian bene- 
volence ; visiting the sick ; relieving the distressed ; com- 
forting the afflicted ; and last, though not least, of super- 
intending the morals of their poor neighbours, and crown- 
ing their humble dwellings with industry and content ; 
practising, in a word, all the moral duties of Masonry, 
without being troubled with its details. This is the 
glorious career of an Englishwoman, which she would 
not barter for all the Masonry in Christendom, if it were 
freely offered for her acceptance. Nor can I be led to 
believe that if Freemasonry were thrown open to the 
females of this land to-morrow, any educated or re- 
spectable woman would consent to be a candidate for 
initiation.' 

'"I am acquainted with a lady,' said Bro. M'Gillivray, 
' who knows all the signs, words, and tokens of the First 
Degree, having, I am sorry to say, been enlightened by 
her husband, at the expense of his 0. B. ; but she is a 
woman of honour, and makes no use of the information, 
but to astonish young candidates of her acquaintance, 



292 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

by giving them the grip, and whispering in their ear the 
E. A. P. word; which proves clearly that a woman is 
capable of keeping a secret ; for I am confident that she 
has never betrayed it to any person of her own sex, or 
to a man who had not been previously initiated.' 

" 'But we are all this while waiting to hear the cere- 
monial described,' said Bro. Simpson. 

"The visitor hesitated," said the Square, "and the 
R. W. M. came to the rescue, by saying, — ' Come, come, 
Bro. Simpson, I think it will be unfair to press our 
worthy Brother too far. I can easily conceive, although 
he may be under no particular injunctions of secresy, 
that it would be repugnant to the feelings of a conscien- 
tious man to reveal what he honestly believes ought, in 
strict justice and propriety, to be kept secret. Let us 
not, therefore, pry too narrowly into the recondite mys- 
teries of our fair sisters ; but show by our conduct 
that — 

' We are true and sincere, 

And just to the fair, 
Who will trust us on any occasion; 

No mortal can more 

The ladies adore, 
Than a Free and an Accepted Mason.' " 









2& 



CHAPTER XVI. 

THE SCHISM HEALED. DR. HEMMING. 

1810—1813. 



-The grand debate, 



The popular harangue, the tart reply, 

The logic, and the wisdom, and the wit, 

And the loud laugh — I long to know them all, — 

I burn to set the imprisoned wranglers free, 

And give them voice and utterance again." 

Cowper. 

" Take care always to choose a good president ; and then follow 
your leader. An army of stags is more to be feared under the com- 
mand of a lion, than an army of lions led by a stag." — Old Proverb. 

"Lo ! see from Heav'n the peaceful dove 
With olive-branch descend ; 
Augustus shall with Frederic join 

All rivalry to end ; 
And taught by their fraternal love, 
Our. arms and hearts shall intertwine. 
The Union to approve." 

Glee, suns: at the Union. 



" Since the revival of Freemasonry at the death of 
Sir Christopher Wren," the Square continued, "every 
consecutive period has been enlightened by the lucu- 
brations of some intelligent expositor, whose suggestions 
have received the sanction of the Grand Lodge, and in- 
creased the value of masonic literature. The laudable 
exertions of Desaguliers, Anderson, and Bathurst (who 
was Grand Master of the York Masons), were followed 
up by Brothers Oakley, Martin Clare, Cole, and Dermott 
(ancient), Entick, Calcott, Bagnall, Dunckerley, Hutchin- 
son, Thompson, Smith, Noorthouck, Preston, Jones, and 
Inwood, all well-known names amongst the Fraternity, 
and many others, whose writings have adorned the Order, 
and whose lives have been a running commentary on 
their works. 

" I do not enumerate these brilliant masonic charac- 
20 



294 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

ters," said the Square, "for the purpose of conveying 
an idea that they stand alone in their several periods as 
the renovators and pillars of the Craffc, because their 
cotemporaries were numerous and active. These are 
merely the worthy band of Brothers, to whom at different 
periods the sanction or countenance of the Grand Lodge 
was extended as an encouragement to their activity, and 
an incitement to their zeal in augmenting and displaying 
the capabilities of Masonry, that it might proceed in its 
onward march in a line parallel with social and scientific 
improvement, and prevent the Society from falling back 
on the moral and intellectual darkness of unrecorded 
times. 

" Such were the observations of Dr. Hemming," said 
the Square, "when he was elevated to the chair of the' 
Lodge on St. John's day, 1811 ; and he pursued the same 
train of thought at great length, to the edification of 
several eminent scientific Brethren who were present on 
the occasion. He proved to be an excellent Master, and 
ever attentive to his duties in the Lodge ; strict, even to 
severity, in his discipline, and watchful over the conduct 
of his officers in the punctual and orderly performance 
of their respective functions. 

" During this year, a noble and learned peer of the 
realm was proposed as a candidate for initiation; and our 
E. W. M. performed the ceremony with such seriousness 
and effect, as produced a genial impression on his lord- 
ship's mind ; and when in due course he was raised to 
the sublime degree of a Master Mason, Dr. Hemming 
subjoined the following apposite remarks to the Pres- 
tonian Charge: — 

."'As the foundation-stone of every magnificent edifice,' 
he said, addressing the newly-raised Brother, ' is usually 
deposited at the north-east angle of the building, so you, 
my Lord and Brother, as a masonic postulant, when you 
had taken your first degree, were placed in the same 
situation, because } r ou then represented the foundation- 
stone of a new masonic structure, which, it is hoped, 
you will beautify and adorn with the rich materials of 
Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. In this sense, the de- 
gree which was then conferred upon you, represents the 
outer court of the Tabernacle of Moses, and the court 
of the Gentiles in the Temple at Jerusalem ; for in either 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 295 

case the uncircumcised could penetrate no further. A 
similar disposition prevailed in the early ordinances of 
Christianity; for penitents were only allowed to seat 
themselves in the atrium, outside the western portico of 
the church. 

" 'Again,' the R. W. M. continued, ' your lordship will 
do well to observe another extraordinary coincidence. 
The Rite or Sacrament of Baptism, which introduced 
the penitent into the nave of the Church, corresponding 
with the privilege that enabled a Jew to enter into the 
second division of the Tabernacle or Temple, is repre- 
sented by the Degree of a Fellowcraft, which qualifies 
the candidate to enter into the Holy Place, and be 
invested with the highest honours and privileges of 
Masonry; and as this part of the Tabernacle was called 
Holy, so the advanced Mason is said to stand on Holy 
Ground. It was denominated by St. Paul a worldly 
sanctuary; and, therefore, at this step of your progress, 
you became eligible for instruction in worldly knowledge, 
and received the rudiments of scientific acquirement. 
You were taught the elements of the seven liberal 
sciences, including geometry, with its application to 
architecture, which may be said to constitute the secular 
design of the Order, in which your name has now been 
fully enrolled.' 

" ' But it is only when a Mason has been raised to the 
Third Degree, that he can form an accurate judgment 
of the real tendency of our mysterious Association. Up 
to this point, all has been preliminary, and consequently 
superficial. But now the whole scheme of Masonry be- 
comes revealed to the enlightened eye of the Master 
Mason. Like the Hi°:h Priest of Israel entering the 
S. S. of the Tabernacle and Temple, he beholds, with 
steady gaze, the Shekinah of glory; — like the perfect 
Christian admitted to communion with his God and 
Saviour, he enters the Church Triumphant, and beholds 
insuperable things, which it is not lawful for him to 
reveal ; and, like St. Paul in the third heaven, he hears 
unspeakable words, which to utter w^ould be death.' 

"At this period," the Square continued, " the conduct 
of the Athol Masons formed the all-absorbing subject of 
conversation throughout the entire Craft, and the un- 
popularity of the schism was every day increasing. I 



296 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

remember very well — it was about the year 1755 — that 
Dr. Manningham, our R. W. M., attended a Lodge at the 
Ben Jonson's Head, for the purpose of ascertaining, by 
ocular demonstration, the practices of certain Brethren 
meeting there, which had become objects of suspicion 
amongst the regular Craft. It had been publicly an- 
nounced that this Lodge was principally composed of 
ancient Masons, though under the modern constitution, 
and that some of the Brethren had been on the continent, 
and had ivitnessed extraordinary manifestations in ancient 
Masonry in some of the foreign Lodges, which it had been 
agreed by the Members to practise on every third Lodge 
night there. 1 

" It was at one of these privileged meetings that our 
R. W. M. offered himself as a visitor; and holding the 
high office of D. G-. M., he could not decently be refused 
admission, although many other Masons had already 
suffered the disappointment of exclusion from these mys- 
terious celebrations. Dr. Manningham did not assert his 
right to occupy the chair as D. GK M., but consented to 
take his place as the R. W. M. of his Lodge. 

" The business went on, and we found ourselves in a 
new atmosphere, which presented much that we were at 
a loss to comprehend; and Dr. Manningham at length 
ascertained, by repeated examinations — and his questions 
were answered with evident reluctance — -that this pre- 
tended ancient Masonry consisted of nothing more than 
a reconstruction of Ramsay's Royal Arch, adapted by 
the genius of Craft Masonry, the principal feature of 
which was a transfer of the real Landmarks of a Master 
Mason to a new degree, unknown to the Fraternity be- 
fore the date of this unnatural schism. 

" Dr. Manningham expressed, in very strong terms, 
his uncontrollable surprise at this discovery; and told 
the Brethren plainly that they were practising an impo- 
sition on the public. While taunting the constitutional 
Masons with using a modern system, he said, and tamper- 
ing with the old Landmarks, they themselves were dis- 
tinguished by an apparatus which could not substantiate 
an antiquity of more than ten or a dozen years; and were 
making fearful havoc with the Landmarks, by subdivid- 

1 See the Ahimau Rezon, p. xii., Ed. 1813. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 297 

ing the Third Degree into two separate and distinct 
portions, to lend a sanction to the new and untenable 
doctrine that Freemasonry consists of four Degrees ; the 
latter of which, called the Holy Royal Arch, was con- 
ferred upon no Brother who could not prove himself to 
be well-versed in the three preceding Degrees, 2 — a very 
unstable foundation to support the fiction of an ancient 
establishment. 

"After making these wholesale innovations," the Square 
continued, " Lawrence Dermott, the then Grand Master, 
boasted that 'Ancient Masonry contains everything valua- 
ble amongst the moderns, as well as many other things 
that cannot be revealed without additional ceremonies,'' And 
again, ' a person made in the modern manner, and not 
after the ancient custom of the Craft, has no right to be 
called Free and Accepted, according to the intent and 
meaning of the words.' And further, that ' the number 
of Ancient Masons abroad, compared with the modems, prove 
the universality of the old Order, &c, &c.' 3 

"Now," said the Square, "the offensive appellation 
of modems was inflicted on the original body by the 
seceders, because, in the year 1740, the Grand Lodge, in 
order to detect these impostors, as I heard Bro. Noorth- 
ouck explain from the Chair when he was R. W. M. of 
our Lodge, and debar them and their abettors from the 
countenance and protection of the regular Lodges, made 
a slight but unimportant variation in the established 
forms. This afforded a subterfuge at which the refractory 
Brethren eagerly grasped. They at once, and invidious- 
ly, assumed the distinctive appellation of Ancient Masons, 
and stigmatized the constitutional Brethren with the 
title of moderns. This artifice served to strengthen 
their party ; the uninformed w T ere readily caught by the 
specious deception; and in an age when thousands of 
people assembled together with the firm belief that they 
were about to see a man inclose himself in a quart 
bottle, we need scarcely wonder that a few persons 
should believe in the plausible fiction that a knot of ex- 
pelled Members constituted the original Society, and 
the Brethren who discarded them were the innovators. 
And the boldness and pertinacity by which the plea was 

2 Ahiman Kezon, p. 113. 3 Ibid., p. xix. 



29S THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

urged, ultimately secured the adhesion of the Sister 
Grand Lodges of Scotland and Ireland. 

"And what was this variation," the Square inquired, 
" which produced such important results ? Why, I'll 
tell you in the words of Bro. Daniell. 'I would beg 
leave to ask,' he said, ' whether two persons standing in 
the Guildhall of London, the one facing the statues of 
Gog and Magog, and the other with his back towards 
them, could, with any degree of propriety, quarrel about 
their situation, as Gog must be on the right of one, and 
Magog, on the right of the other V Such, then, and far 
more insignificant, was the alteration complained of, and 
bore not the slightest comparison with the wholesale 
mangling of the Third Degree, that had been perpetrated 
by the Brethren who had adopted the style of Ancient 
Masons. 

"At the ensuing Grand Lodge, Dr. Manning-ham com- 
municated the above-mentioned irregularities, and stated 
his opinion that immediate measures ought to be adopted 
to discountenance the schism, as he considered it to be 
an open and gratuitous insult on the Grand Master and 
the whole Fraternity. After a short debate, in which 
there was scarcely a difference of opinion, it was unani- 
mously resolved, ' That the meetings of Brethren, under 
any denomination of Masons, other than as Brethren of 
this our ancient and honourable Society of Free and 
Accepted Masons, is inconsistent with the honour and 
interest of the Craft, and a high insult on our Grand 
Master, and the whole body of Masons.' 4 

" The D. G. M. then moved, and it was agreed to una- 
nimously, that the consideration of the irregular pro- 
ceedings of the said Brethren be postponed till the next 
Quarterly Communication, that a thorough sense of their 
misconduct, and a determination not to be guilty of the 
like for the future, may induce them to acknowledge 
their transgression, and reconcile them to the Grand 
Lodge. 

"But, alas!" the Square apostrophized, "the scheme 
was too promising to be hastily abandoned. Instead of 
confessing their fault, the seceding Brethren openly defied 

• 4 Minutes of Grand Lodge, March 20, 1755. See also Noorth. 
Const., p. 264. 






THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 299 

the power of the Grand Lodge; and, therefore, at the 
succeeding Quarterly Communication, it was ordered 
'that, as the delinquents persisted in their disobedience, 
the Lodge, No. 94, held at Ben Jonson's Head, in Pelham 
street, Spitalfields, be erased from the list of Lodges, and 
that such of the Brethren thereof as shall continue those 
irregular meetings, shall not be admitted as visitors in 
any Lodge under the Constitution of England.' 5 

"Lawrence Dermott," the Square continued, "was 
an intelligent fellow, and cared very little for the above 
denunciation. He proceeded to form a Grand Lodge of 
his own, elected himself its Grand Master, and performed, 
without the slightest hesitation, all the functions of an 
independent body, granting warrants, and exacting fees, 
with all imaginable coolness; and his imposition was more 
successful than those of many of the continental innova- 
tors, for it enjoyed a supremacy, although not unques- 
tioned, of seventy years' continuance ; and, which appears 
still more strange, his Royal Arch Degree was ultimately 
adopted by our own Grand Lodge, and formally incorpo- 
rated into the system, with this essential difference, how- 
ever, that while the schismatics declared, in their Book 
Constitutions, that ancient Masonry consists of Four 
Degrees, the Constitutional Grand Lodge retained the 
primitive tradition, that Freemasonry contains Three 
Degrees only, including the Royal Arch. 6 

"At the very beginning of the nineteenth century," 
the Square continued, " viz., in November, 1801, a charge 
of a very serious nature was exhibited in Grand Lodge, 
by Bro. Daniell, S. W. of the Grand Stewards' Lodge, 
who had been complimented by authority, as a reward 
for his activity and zeal, with the title of Defender of the 
ancient rights and privileges of Masonry, against Thomas 

5 Minutes of Grand Lodge, July 24, 1755. 

6 The difference between ancient and modern, when dirested of all 
technicalities, was simply this : — The modern, so called by the inno- 
vators, retained the original system, consisting of three degrees, in 
all its integrity ; the ancient, so called by themselves, mutilated the 
third degree, by dividing it into two parts, and pronounced in the 
Book of Constitutions that genuine Ancient Masonry consists of four 
degrees. They boasted of the sanction of the Grand Lodge at York, 
but I never heard that that Grand Lodge extended its countenance to 
them; and, indeed, if that assertion had been true, why did they 
establish a Grand Lodge of their own ? 



300 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

Harper, a D. G. M. of the adverse party, and others, for 
patronizing and becoming principals in a Society calling 
themselves Ancient Masons, and acting in direct violation 
of the laws of the regular Grand Lodge. 

" When the complaint was heard, Bro. Harper, pursuant 
to a summons which had been served upon him, appear- 
ed personally; and, in the joint names of himself and 
his associates, read a rambling defence, in Cromwellian 
style, which failed either to disprove or justify the 
charge, and was rather calculated to display the gulli- 
bility of mankind, than to exculpate himself. Taking 
advantage of the Hudibrastic aphorism, that 

the pleasure is as great 



Of being cheated as to cheat,' 

he converted the principle to his own advantage, and 
found it rather a successful ruse. But Bro. Daniell, in 
his reply, dissipated all his arguments, and substantiated 
the original accusation by new facts, drawn from Bro. 
Harper's own defence. He practically applied the above 
principle by a humorous allusion to the passage, and 
pursued his illustrations by quoting a few additional lines 
from the same inimitable burlesque. ' Some with a 
noise,' he said, amidst loud peals of laughter — 

' Some with a noise, and greasy light, 
Are snapt, as men catch larks by night ; 
Ensnar'd and hamper'd by the soul, 
As nooses by the leg catch fowl. 
Some with a med'cine and receipt, 
Are drawn to nibble at the bait; 
And tho' it be a two-foot trout, 
'Tis with a single hair pulled out. 

'As for Bro. Harper's arguments,' he continued, l valea?it 
quantum — there they are — take them for what they are 
worth — I myself attach no value whatever to them.' 

" It was at length resolved, that the laws of Masonry 
shall be strictly enforced against the offenders unless they 
promptly withdraw their countenance from the irregular 
assemblies. 

" This resolution having been carried by a very large 
majority, Bro. Harper threw himself on the mercy of the 
Grand Lodge, and requested time to consult his officers, 
which, he said, if the Grand Lodge would be considerate 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 301 

enough to grant, lie pledged his honour that he would 
use all his influence to secure their consent to a reunion 
of the two sections, and promised to furnish a definite 
answer at the next Quarterly Communication. 

"After this solemn declaration," continued the Square, 
"the Grand Master, H. K. H. the Prince Regent, felt so 
certain, that the seceding Brethren would he no longer 
contumacious, but, like the repenting prodigal, would 
return to their allegiance with olive branches in their 
hands, and peccavimus in their mouths, that he instructed 
his A. G. M., the Earl of Moira, to form a committee, 
with ample powers to receive the erring Brethren with 
all honour, and bring them back into the fold. And that 
noble Brother publicly declared, when reporting the 
Constitution of his committee, that his heart was devoted 
to the icork, and that he would use every means in his 
power to bring it to a satisfactory termination. 

"The Fraternity throughout England participated in 
the enthusiasm of the A. G. M., and were animated with 
the same hope. Our P. G. Chap., Bro. Inwood, wrote a 
congratulatory epistle to Bro. Daniell on the subject, in 
which he expressed his unfeigned pleasure at hearing 
' that a union of the two masonic Societies is likely to be 
accomplished through the medium of our highly amiable 
and talented A. G. M. ; and,' he continued, ' it will impeach 
the character of any Brother in either division, who shall 
cast an impediment in the way, which may obstruct such 
a measure of peace and harmony ; for it will prove an 
hindrance to the growth of brotherly love, and subvert 
all the genial and beneficial effects which arise, not only 
from the principles of Masonry, but also from those of our 
most holy religion. 

" ' My hearty wish and sincere desire is,' Bro. Inwood. 
continued, ' that the contemplated union may be speedily 
effected ; that the masonic Temple of universal love and 
concord may raise its beautiful head, not only above all 
opposition of those who are unacquainted with its excel- 
lences, but also that all its avenues of brotherly love may 
be occupied by Brethren of one heart and one mind, all 
aiming, according to the true painciples of masonic union, 
to love each other with a pure heart fervently, that the 
gazing world, admiring to see how we Brethren love, 
may anxiously desire to increase our numbers, and our 
means of doing good.' 



302 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

"Notwithstanding all these favourable anticipations," 
said the Square, " the negotiation signally failed. Bro. 
Harper's influence was not exerted to restore peace and 
order to the Fraternity, in redemption of his pledge, nor 
was his answer delivered at the Quarterly Communica- 
tion; and, therefore, he was again summoned, more than 
once or twice, to appear before the Grand Lodge, and 
show cause why he should not be expelled, but without 
effect. His contumacy being thus clearly established, 
and his irregularities undenied, the Grand Lodge, after 
much forbearance, proceeded to more vigorous measures; 
and, on the 9th day of February, 1803, the A. G. M. being 
on the throne, and between three and four hundred 
Brethren present, the matter w T as discussed seriatim ; and 
after a debate, if it can be properly called a debate where 
all the speakers are of one opinion, Bro. Harper's con- 
duct was unanimously pronounced to be altogether 
unjustifiable; and the following resolutions were passed 
nem. con. : — 

" 'Resolved, that the said Thomas Harper be expelled 
the Society, for countenancing and supporting a set of 
persons, calling themselves Ancient Masons, and holding 
Lodges in this Kingdom without authorization from H. 
R.H.the Prince of Wales, the Grand Master duly elected 
by this regular Grand Lodge. 

" ' Resolved also, that this resolution be inserted in the 
printed accounts of the Grand Lodge, to prevent the said 
Thomas Harper from gaining admittance into any regular 
Lodge. 

" 'And it was further resolved, that, whenever it shall 
appear that any Masons, under the Constitution of this 
Grand Lodge, shall in future attend or countenance any 
of the Lodges or meetings of persons calling themselves 
Ancient Masons, under the sanction of any person claim- 
ing to be Grand Master of England, and not duly elected 
by this Grand Lodge, the laws of the Society will be 
strictly enforced against them, and their names will be 
sent to the several Lodges under the Constitution of 
England.' 7 

"These decisive resolutions," continued the Square, 
"operated on the adverse faction very powerfully ; and 
many private Lodges, under the Athol system, trans* 

7 Minutes of Grand Lodge, Feb. 9, 1803. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 303 

mitted their spurious charters to our Grand Lodge, re- 
questing that they might be exchanged for regular war- 
rants under the Constitution of England, which was 
uniformly complied with, free of expense. 

"Exasperated by these proceedings, which the princi- 
pal leaders of the Athol section incorrectly attributed to 
the original motion on the subject made by Bro. Daniell, 
they resolved to punish him for the consequences of their 
own delinquency; and for that purpose they committed 
a furious onslaught on his pet Lodge, which was then in 
the height of its popularity ; and I have heard Bro. 
Daniell assert that its numerous initiations had yielded 
upwards of a thousand pounds in Grand Lodge fees ; and 
its finances were so flourishing, that no member was ever 
permitted to apply to the fund of benevolence for pecu- 
niary assistance, but was invariably relieved with sums 
ranging from five to twenty pounds out of its own chari- 
table fund. It was called the Royal Naval Lodge of 
regular Freemasons, held at their own hall, Burr street, 
near the Tower. The Brethren held their general assem- 
bly on the first Wednesday in every month, and a masonic 
council every Sunday evening, from six to ten o'clock. 

"I do not approve of Sunday evening councils," said 
the Square parenthetically, "but they were of very 
common occurrence in those days, both in London and 
the provinces, and excited neither attention nor remark 
from the public in general. They have now been judi- 
ciously replaced by Lodges of Instruction, meeting on a 
more appropriate day. 

"It was against this Lodge," the Square continued, 
"that Bro. Harper and his colleagues fulminated an 
anathema in the shape of a circular forwarded to all their 
350 Lodges, in these words : — ' W. Sir, and Brethren, — 
Beware of certificates with the following inscription 
engraven under an arch at the top, viz., Lodge No. 57, 
of the most ancient and honourable Society of Free and 
Accepted Masons of all England, according to the old Con- 
stitutions. We have no such Lodge, nor ever had any 
such nnder our Constitution. These certificates are, in 
other respects, an imitation and piracy, taken from our 
Grand Lodge certificates. It has become necessary to 
guard you against imposition and the designs of those 
who, to gratify the ambition of some, or cover the nefa- 



304 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

rious practices of others, are most sedulously employed 
to destroy your existence as a Lodge. Signed, Kobert 
Leslie, G. Sec' 

"Bro. Daniell was the E. W. M. of the Royal Naval 
Lodge at that time, and the last man in the world to 
submit quietly to such an insult. He, therefore^ replied 
to this fierce attack by taking the bull by the horns, and 
determined to fathom the very bottom of the mystery 
by making the Duke of Athol an actual party to the 
proceeding. For this purpose he published, and circu- 
lated extensively, a pamphlet of more than a hundred 
pages, in the form of an address to the Duke of Athol, in 
whose name, and under whose authority, all the above- 
mentioned acts were committed. 8 It was written in 
flowing language, and exhibited a series of stubborn 
facts, which were calculated to excite his grace's atten- 
tion, and dispose him to listen to the pressing solicita- 
tions of the writer for an union of their mutual interests, 
in order to promote the general peace and prosperity of 
the Craft at large. 

'"The Grand Lodge of England,' he said, 'were ready 
to receive their Brethren with open arms, to register 
them free of expense, and to let them hold their funds 
sacred to their own widows and children; or in such 
manner as a committee, composed of an equal number of 
Brethren from both the discordant sections, might decide. 

'"That your grace,' he continued, 'may proceed on the 
information of higher and more respectable authority 

8 " Masonic Union. An Address to his Grace the Duke of Athol, 
on the subject of an Union between the Masons that have lately 
assembled under his Grace's sanction, and the regular Masons of 
England, of which H. R. H. George, Prince of Wales, is the Grand 
Master. To which is added an Appendix, containing authentic 
sources of masonic information, compiled from ancient records ; with 
an Account of the Grand Patrons and Officers of the Grand Lodgo 
from time immemorial to the present period ; and a correct list of all 
the regular Lodges under the sanction of the ancient Grand Lodge 
of all England. Also, an account of a projected Union lately com- 
menced between the Grand Lodges of Scotland and England, by 
means of the Right Hon. the Earl of Moira, A. G. M. With invalu- 
able extracts from Inwood's ' Masonic Sermons.' By a Member of 
the Fraternity. London, printed by J. Shaw, Whitefriars ; published 
by Asperne, Cornhill ; and sold by Symonds, Paternoster Row ; 
Hatchard, Piccadilly, and others ; and may be had of the Tylers of 
Lodges, and all Booksellers in Town and Country." 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 305 

than that of a humble individual like myself, I rejoice 
to have it in my power to name the Right Hon. the Earl 
of Moira, whose knowledge of Masonry is equalled only 
by the goodness of his heart. 

'"Under all these circumstances,' he concluded," said 
the Square, '"can it be supposed that you, my lord, as 
a regular Mason, when you are informed of the origin of 
the Institution, which I am fully persuaded that you have 
hitherto patronized, from the purest motives ; can it, I 
say, be supposed that you, or any other nobleman, would 
lend his name to support or countenance a society, how- 
ever praiseworthy its motives may appear, wmich holds 
its meetings in direct violation of the laws of the original 
establishment, and the government of the Fraternity"? 
No, my lord, your public character is too well known 
— your zeal for the welfare of the country is too mani- 
fest — and your attachment to the royal family too deeply 
rooted to admit of wilful deviation. Therefore, my lord, 
I trust your feelings coincide with my own, and that 
you really conceive what honour, what peculiar satisfac- 
tion, and what heartfelt pleasure it would give you, to 
bring that society, which you have lately patronized, 
under the royal banner.' 

"This address," continued the Square, "did not fail 
to produce the intended effect on the mind of the noble 
duke, as I shall soon have the pleasure of recording; and 
I have related these anecdotes for the purpose of show- 
ing that the attention of our masonic rulers was now 
more particularly directed to the question of extinguish- 
ing the schism, which, like a tower built on sand, was 
tottering to its fall. The time was rapidly approaching 
when the delusion should be unmasked ; and our R. W. M. 
was a party to the detection of the imposture. A hope 
was confidently entertained that the re-admission of the 
seceders into the pale of genuine Masonry, by the media- 
tion of mutual friends, would be speedily accomplished; 
although few were acquainted with the particular process 
by which so desirable a result was to be effected. 

"I have already told you," said the Square, "that a 
committee had been appointed, consisting of several dis- 
tinguished members of the Grand Lodge, of which the 
Earl of Moira was president; and his lordship declared, 
after accepting that appointment, that if he was fortu- 



306 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

nate enough to secure the great object of a coalition 
between the two parties, he should consider the day in 
which it was ratified and confirmed to be one of the 
most brilliant of his life. 

"The first preliminary step towards the readmission of 
the refractory Brethren, for they still openly resisted 
every overture towards a compromise, and even con- 
tinued to pursue aggressive measures against the regular 
Lodges, was taken by the A. G. M. on the 30th of No- 
vember, 1803, at the festival of the Grand Lodge of 
Scotland. It is acknowledged by Laurie, in his history 
of the Scottish Craft, 'that the Masons calling themselves 
ancient, are much to be blamed as the active promoters 
of the English schism. But having chosen for their 
Gr. M. the Duke of Athol, who held the same office in 
the Grand Lodge of Scotland, an alliance between the 
two parties was the necessary consequence; and the 
Scottish Masons hence imbibed a strong prejudice against 
the Grand Lodge of England, arising from an alleged 
alteration in ceremonial observances.' It was to remove 
the prejudice that the Earl of Moira now directed his 
attention. 

" On the above-mentioned day he attended the annual 
grand festival of Scottish Masons, and an opportunity 
being thus afforded for the discussion of this interesting 
subject, he detailed the entire history of the schism, and 
dwelt on the repeated failures of the Grand Lodge to 
convince the seceders of their error, and receive them 
back into the bosom of their common mother. He 
further explained that the trifling alteration which it had 
been judged expedient to make in the ceremonies, was 
more an imaginary than a real defect; and that the 
English Craft had ever entertained that affection and 
regard for their northern Brethren, which it is the object 
of Freemasonry to cherish, and the duty of Freemasons 
to feel. 

"This explanation was received with plaudits, and the 
Earl of Dalhousie, G. M. of Scotland, expressed his 
gratification at hearing that measures were at length 
contemplated to effect an union which would restore 
harmony, promote activity and vigour, and invest the 
Order with its primitive purity and usefulness. 

"These proceedings," added the Square, "furnished 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 307 

copious matter for reflection and speculation in every 
Lodge throughout the entire length and breadth of the 
land; and in 1S09, our Grand Lodge, with the design of 
neutralizing all objections, resolved: 'That it is not 
necessary any longer to continue in force those measures 
which were resorted to in or about the year 1739, 
respecting irregular Masons; and do, therefore, enjoin 
the several Lodges to revert to the ancient Landmarks of the 
Society.' This measure was completed by the appoint- 
ment of the Lodge of Promulgation, with powers to put 
in practice certain instructions preparatory to a final 
union between the two societies. 

"Matters continued in this state," said the Square, 
"till 1813, when Dr. Hemming was re-elected our R. W. 
M. ; and at the very commencement of the year he com- 
municated the fact in tyled Lodge, which afforded the 
Brethren unmixed gratification. He said that the pre- 
liminary steps had been already taken to bring this 
controverted dispute to an issue ; and that several 
Brethren were then present who were parties to the 
conciliatory measure. 'It appears, indeed,' he added, 
'to be the almost unanimous opinion of the whole 
Fraternity of both sections, that the removal of the 
unimportant differences which have so long kept the 
Brotherhood asunder, will be a means of establishing in 
the metropolis of the British empire one splendid edifice 
of ancient Freemasonry, to which the whole masonic 
world may confidently look for the maintenance and 
preservation of those pure principles of the Craft 
which have been handed down to them from time 
immemorial, under the protection of the illustrious 
branches of the royal house of Brunswick, — the practice 
of loyalty, morality, brotherly love, and benevolence, 
which it has been the great object of Masonry to incul- 
cate, and of its laws to enforce.' 9 

" ' As this subject has been opened by the R. W. M.,' 
said Bro. Meyrick, 'it may be no breach of confidence on 
my part to add, that the present unhappy state of the- 
Craft, divided into two hostile sections, in open and 
undisguised rivalry with each other, having received the 
attention of Brethren in the highest quarters, they have 

9 See Minutes of Grand Lodge, Dec. 27, 1813. 



308 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

resolved, at all hazards, to remedy the evils which have, 
for so long a period, resulted from this unnatural opposi- 
tion — civile averiite helium — by the interposition of mea- 
sures which cannot fail to be successful. The Duke of 
Athol has been prevailed on to resign the office of Grand 
Master at the ensuing election, and H. R. H. the Duke 
of Kent is expected to be his successor. This being 
accomplished, an union between the two parties is inevi- 
table ; and arrangements are actually in some degree of 
forwardness to bring this long-controverted dispute to an 
amicable termination.' 

"Bro. Shadbolt then rose, and intimated 'that H. R. 
H. had graciously consented to accept the office of Grand 
Master, and certain Brethren have been already nomina- 
ted on both sides to arrange the details of the projected 
union, several of whom are now present. I make this 
communication in perfect good faith, assured that it is in 
safe hands, and in no danger of being repeated beyond 
the walls of the Lodge, until it shall be officially 
announced.' 

" The R. W. M. observed, that ' such a breach of faith 
was not likely to happen, and as he saw the principal 
Brethren who were in the secret then present, viz., 
Brothers Washington Shirley, Rodwell Wright, Shadbolt, 
Meyrick, Tegart, Deans, and Stephen Jones, and as the 
Lodge, in other respects, was remarkably thin of Mem- 
bers, with no business of importance to transact, it would 
be a favourable opportunity to communicate to each 
other the results of our private reflections or active 
agency in the prosecution of this important measure, and 
to deliberate on the terms of re-union which it may be 
expedient to propose to the adverse party, as he was 
aware that objections, apparently insuperable, must be 
met and obviated before the erring Brethren could be 
induced to acknowledge their schism, and sue for read- 
mission into the ample fold of genuine Masonry.' 

" 'I have already had several conversations with Bro. 
Harper, and his under spur-leathers, Perry, Agar, and 
Cranfield on the subject,' said Bro. Tegart, ' and they take 
very high ground at present. Their demands are so 
unreasonable, that unless their influence be extinguished 
by some authority superior to their own, our attempts 
will fail, and the projected union will never be accom- 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 309 

plished. Bro. Agar was bold enough to insinuate that our 
only object was to increase our annual income by the 
fees for the registration of their numerous Members, and 
that, consequently, while we are avowedly acting for the 
benefit of Masonry, we are, in reality, seeking an advant- 
age to ourselves.' 

"'I hope,' said Bro. "Wright, 'you repudiated the 
charge promptly, without descending to a vindication, 
because they know better; for it has been repeatedly 
intimated to them that we never contemplated the impo- 
sition of new fees, or of alienating any existing funds 
from the purposes of their original appropriation.' 

" 'The assumption is too absurd to merit any serious 
notice,' Bro. Deans observed; 'but I am anxious- to 
know what Bro. Harper says to the measure.' 

" 'Why, the fact is,' replied Bro. Tegart, 'that he says 
very little, but appears distant and reserved. While 
declaring that he should not object to the proposed 
union, if it can be effected on grounds consistent with 
the honour of the ancient Grand Lodge, he pertinaciously 
attributes views and motives to our party utterly at 
variance with the truth, as if he was afraid that an union 
of the two sections would swallow up and annihilate 
his own personal power, and reduce him to a mere 
unit.' 

" 'His power and influence,' said Bro. Hemming, 'will, 
of course, be superseded ; for a person in his rank of life 
can have no legitimate claim to the government of such 
a vast and influential body as the Society of Freema- 
sons ; and, indeed, it is the name of the Duke of Athol 
alone that imparts or confirms the influence which he 
possesses.' 

'"The Duke of Athol seldom attends in person, I 
presume V said Bro. Deans, inquiringly. 

" 'Very seldom,' Bro. Meyrick answered; 'yet every 
act is published in his name, and is consequently invested 
wwith his authority, which will be scattered to the winds 
of heaven when the Duke of Kent proposes the union 
from the throne. Quo more pyris vesci Calaber juhet hosjpes. 
No one, how interested soever he may be in the present 
state of things, will be bold enough to oppose the pro- 
jected reform, which is anxiously anticipated by nine out 
of every ten Brothers in both sections: and as this, 
21 



310 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

motion will assuredly be made, it only remains for us, 
who are intrusted by the Grand Master with the man- 
agement of this delicate negotiation, to determine finally 
on what conditions their section of the Fraternity shall 
be re-admitted to all the privileges of constitutional 
Masonry. And I should be glad to have the benefit of 
your deliberate opinions on the subject.' 

" ' In the first place,' said Bro. Rodwell Wright, 'and 
as an indispensable condition, Brothers Tegart and 
Deans, who have been associated with me by authority 
to arrange the preliminary negotiations, have agreed, 
firmly, and with brotherly affection, to uphold and main- 
tain the ancient Landmarks, and the rights, privileges, 
and dignity of the Grand Lodge, and the several Lodges 
under the Constitution of England ; founding the nego- 
tiation on principles of perfect equality, and unity of 
obligation, discipline, and working ; that the edifice of 
the union may be constructed on a basis constituted of 
such materials as must be rendered more firm and com- 
pact by revolving years, and on which the hand of time 
can work only to prove that Masons possess the art of 
raising a structure which storms cannot destroy.' 

" ' The great difficulty will be,' Bro. Tegart observed, 
' about the disposal of the funds of the Athol section ; 
and I am not aware that we have any other course open 
on this litigated point, than to declare openly and fairly 
that the property of both sections of the Fraternity shall 
never be alienated from the benevolent purposes for 
which it was originally intended ; but shall together 
form one common fund, to be appropriated equally to 
the distressed of the united community, without respect 
of persons, or to the education of the orphan children of 
Masons, as the case may be ; that the names of the 
trustees shall not be changed ; but in case of death or 
withdrawal, the United Grand Lodge shall possess the 
power of nominating successors, who shall be instructed 
to take a special care that the property be not diverted 
to any other use or purpose whatsoever.' 

" ' And with respect to rites and ceremonies,' Bro. 
Deans added, ' I suppose we shall have to deal with 
them summarily, so as to secure a perfect uniformity, 
according to the old Gothic Landmarks, Charges, and 
Traditions ; for I shall never consent to depart from these 



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THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 311 

authentic precedents under any circumstances or condi- 
tions whatever.' 

"'It will be absolutely necessary that we make it 
clearly understood at the very outset,' said the R. W. M., 
thoughtfully, ' that it must be publicly acknowledged, 
without any mental reservation or self-evasion of mind, 
that genuine ancient Masonry consists of Three Degrees, 
and no more, viz., those of Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and 
Master, including the Royal Arch ; and a declaration to 
this effect must be insisted on as a sine qua non, before 
we can enter on the details.' 

"'The question is,' Bro. Shirley replied, 'how will 
the ancients swallow this bitter pill, after having asserted 
in their Book of Constitutions, that the Order is composed 
of Four Degrees ? 10 This doctrine has become incorpo- 
rated so essentially into their system, as to constitute 
an absolute article of faith, and, in reality, is the sole 
difference between us and them. They plume them- 
selves upon it, and have passed strong censures on the 
Constitutional Grand Lodge, because we repudiate it as 
an innovation. The question is, Can they consistently 
acknowledge themselves to be in error?' 

" Dr. Hemming," continued the Square, " here produced 
an elaborate engraving of the (so-called) High Degrees, 
and explained it to the Lodge as being a complicated 
diagram, published by the ancients about the year 1790, 
of several Degrees of Masonry which they had derived 
from France. It was entitled Mysticum Sajiientice Specu- 
lum, and contained numerous symbols of the different 
Orders of Continental Masonry, and also illustrations of 
the acknowledged Masonic Cypher. It consisted of a 
Cross, inscribed in a Circle, the former containing eight 
Squares, completely charged with emblems of certain 
Degrees, not generally known in this country. ' The 
first Square, beginning at the top,' he said, 'is the car- 
pet or floorcloth of the Degree of Knights of the East 
and West, surrounded by the letters B, D, S, H, P, F, G, 
which signify Beauty, Divinity, Strength, Honour, Power, 
Fidelity, Glory. 11 The second, on the left hand, repre- 
sents the Birth of Light from Darkness ; the next con- 

10 Ahiman Eezon, p. 113, Harper's ed., 1813. 

11 See the Hist. Lmks., vol. ii., p. 117, for an explanation. 



312 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

tains the emblems of the Degree of Kose Croix ; 12 and 
the fourth is an allegorical representation of the Order of 
Harodim. 13 The fifth is the Brute Stone (our Rough 
Ashlar) symbolizing the elements of Blue Masonry. Then 
we have the Arches of Enoch, as illustrative of the 
Degree of Knights of the Ninth Arch ; 14 and after it the 
Cubical Stone (Perfect Ashlar), which, according to a 
legend at the foot, contains the Sacred Name ; and, last 
of all, a diagram of the Degree of Prussian Knights, or 
Noachites; 15 and in the lower spandrils are vestiges of 
the Spurious Freemasonry. In the circle we have a brief 
exposition of the Seven Liberal Sciences, and at the four 
cardinal points are appropriate Latin mottoes. The crest, 
or surmounting symbol, is a hierogram appended to the 
Degree of Knights of the White Eagle and Pelican.' 16 

"After this extraordinary engraving had been ex- 
amined," the Square continued, " the R. W. M. observed 
that, ' as it was their intention to confine ancient Masonry 
to its primitive category of Three Degrees, he entertained 
an idea of republishing this curious document at the 
union, 17 with certain alterations, as a testimony of the 
exclusive claims of Blue Masonry to the sole considera- 
tion of the United Fraternity. Thus he would enliven 
the dark angles of the Brochure with the words — No 
Rarch — No Ktps — No Hrdm — No Kadh, &c, as a 
standing proof that our Grand Lodge acknowledges 
Three Degrees only ; and that, if other Degrees or Orders 
are tolerated, they must be entirely disconnected with 
the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted 
Masons, and work under Grand Lodges of their own.' 

" 'This will be a most judicious step,' said Bro. Shir- 
ley, ' as it will point their own artillery in the proper 
direction.' 

" ' But,' said Bro. Wright, ' they have not only put 
on record their conviction that genuine ancient Masonry 
consists of Four Degrees, but they have publicly, in the 

12 See Hist. Lmks., vol. ii., p. 347. 13 Ibid. vol. ii., p. 14. 

14 See Ant. Mas., ft 83. 15 See Hist. Lmks., vol. i., p. 63. 

16 Ibid. vol. ii., p. 139. 

17 The reader is presented with a copy of this engraving, which 
contains an elaborate jumble of English, Scotch, French, and German 
Masonry ; and it would require a volume to give a full and satisfac- 
tory explanation of its various emblems. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 313 

Ahiman Rezon, declared that they abhor and detest the 
unconstitutional fopperies of cunning, avaricious trades- 
men, invented and introduced among the moderns with 
no other design than to extract large sums of money, 
which ought to be applied to more noble and charitable 
uses, 13 when, in point of fact, if venality really exists, it 
is all on their own part. But the real delinquent often 
joins the hue and cry, and is the first to call out, " Stop 
thief!" ' 

" ' True,' Bro. Deans replied ; ' and they have given 
equal publicity to the avowal that there is an essential 
difference between us in makings, ceremonies, knowledge, 
masonic language, and installation, 19 when, in reality, if 
there be any difference between the systems, it is to be 
attributed solely to the liberties they have taken with 
the Third Degree.' 

" ' Bro. Laurie has justly observed, in his " History of 
Freemasonry,"' said Bro. S. Jones, 'that much injury 
has been done to the cause of Masonry by a book entitled 
"Ahiman Rezon," written by one Dermott, their Sec- 
retary, and very imprudently republished by Thomas 
Harper, in 1800. The unfairness with which he has 
stated the proceedings of the Regular Masons, the bitter- 
ness with which he treats them, and the quackery and 
vain glory with which he displays his own pretensions 
to superior knowledge, deserve to be reprobated by every 
class of Masons who are anxious for the purity of their 
Order, and the preservation of that charity and mildness 
which ought to characterize all their proceedings.' 

" ' The ex parte observations and censures against the 
regular Craft,' the R. W. M. replied, ' might be excusable 
at the first breaking out of the schism, when prejudice 
ran high, and the disgrace of expulsion was tingling in 
their minds, as vents for the discharge of superfluous bile, 
and props to sanction their own designs at the expense 
of a powerful rival ; but why has Bro. Harper reasserted 
these calumnies at the present moment, when the negoci- 
ations are in such a state of forwardness, by the publication 
of a new edition of the "Ahiman Rezon" even in this 
very month ? This conduct will scarcely admit of an 

13 Ahiman Rezon, p. xxvi. 19 Ibid. p. xxx. 



314 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

apology ; for it is evidently a device to stave off the 
approaching union, by a final appeal to the passions and. 
prejudices of his Brethren. 20 But the remedy is at hand. 
An authority will be interposed that is irresistible, and 
the private interests of a few must give way to the 
general benefit of the Fraternity. We shall take our 
stand on the ancient Landmarks; and that is a position 
from which it will be difficult to dislodge us. Besides, 
most of Bro. Harper's immediate colleagues, including 
Brothers Perry and Cranfield, are as desirous of a recon- 
ciliation and general amnesty as ourselves, and, therefore, 
we do not anticipate any difficulty when the subject 
comes fairly before a Committee, composed of an equal 
number of members from either party.' 

" ' I presume,' Bro. Jones asked, ' that all the Athol 
Fraternity must be re-obligated before their admission 
amongst us?' 

" 'It will be unnecessary, I should think,' Bro. Mey- 
rick replied. 

" 'And yet,' said the R. W. M., 'it will be stipulated 
as an express condition on our part, that, before their 
names are entered on our books, the 0. B. shall be ad- 
ministered. And for this purpose it has been suggested, 
that a certain number of expert Brethren from each sec- 
tion of the Craft shall meet together at some convenient 
central place in London, when each party having opened, 
in a separate apartment, a just and perfect Lodge, agree- 
able to their peculiar regulations, they shall give and 
receive, mutually and reciprocally, the obligations of 
both Fraternities, deciding, by lot, which shall take 
priority in giving and receiving the same ; and, being 
thus all duly and equally enlightened in both forms, 
they shall be empowered and directed to hold a Lodge 
under the warrant or dispensation to be entrusted 



20 These conversations may be considered by living Masons as an 
exaggerated picture of the feelings and sentiments of the Fraternity. 
But, in reality, they are a subdued representation of the very high 
state of excitement which prevailed amongst both sections for several 
years before the union was effected. And it would be utterly impos- 
sible for any person, who had not witnessed the operation of these 
feelings, as I have done, to form the slightest estimate of the extent 
to which the rivalry was carried. 



THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 315 

to them, and to be entitled the Lodge of Reconcilia- 
tion.' 

"Accordingly," said the Square, "the Duke of Kent 
being elevated to the .throne, and the preliminaries 
having been mutually arranged, the Articles of Union 
were signed at Kensington Palace by the contracting 
parties, viz., the Dukes of Sussex and Kent, and by 
Brothers Waller Rodwell Wright, Arthur Tegart, and 
James Deans, on the part of the constitutional Masons ; 
and Thomas Harper, James Perry, and James Agar, on 
the part of the Athols; and the Great Seal of each 
Grand Lodge was affixed on the first day of December, 
1813. 

" The thirteenth article of union provided that, ' after 
the day of reunion, certain worthy and expert Brothers 
shall be appointed to visit and attend the several Lodges 
for the purpose of promulgating the pure and unsullied 
system, that a perfect reconciliation, unity of obligation, 
working, language, and dress, may be restored to the 
English Craft.' 

" On St. John's day, in the above month and year," 
the Square continued, "this important measure was 
consummated at Freemasons' Hall by a general assembly 
of the whole English Craft, and the representatives of 
several foreign Lodges. As I was suspended from the 
collar of one of the Masters on this august occasion, I am 
able to give you a particular account of the ceremony. 
It was a most magnificent scene, and, unfortunately, the 
last masonic celebration I was ever destined to witness ; 
for, a new description of jewels being now adopted, I 
was laid up in ordinary, and have been in obscurity ever 
since. I'll tell you how it was." 

"You need not give yourself the trouble," I exclaim- 
ed, forgetting our compact at the moment; "for I am 
already acquainted with every detail of that memorable 
ceremony." 

I saw my error at once ; for, while I was yet speaking, 
my companion fell prone upon the table, where he lay 
silent, and, without any token of animation, a simple 
silver Square, and nothing more. I started — rubbed my 
eyes — the clock struck two — the candles were burning 
in the sockets, and I thought I must have been asleep. 



316 THE REVELATIONS OF A SQUARE. 

I regretted my premature exclamation, which had, prob- 
ably, deprived me of some interesting anecdotes of the 
illustrious Brothers who were principally concerned in 
that celebrated movement; for, as to the transaction 
itself, it had been already laid before the public in Pres- 
ton's " Illustrations," and in my own letter to Dr. Crucefix 
on the " Origin of the Royal Arch." 



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A New and Revised Edition of 

THE HISTORY OF INITIATION. 

IN TWELVE LECTURES. 

Comprising a detailed account of the Rites and Ceremonies, Doctrines and 

Discipline, of all the Secret and Mysterious Institutions 

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By the Rev. George Oliver, D.D., late D.P.G.M. for Lincoln, &c, &c. 

CONTENTS. 

Dedication— To the Right Hon. Charles Tennyson D'Eyncourt,M.P.,P.G.M., for Lincoln- 
shire. 

Preface— Explaining the indispensable qualification of the Master of a Lodge. 

Lecture 1 — General Introduction — Antiquity of Initiation, &c. 

Lecture 2 — History of Initiation in Hindustan. 

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Corollary — The Mysteries Funereal, &c. 



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Orations. In Press. 

Dodd, William. 

Oration delivered at the Dedication of Freemasons' Hall, London, 
May 23, 1776. 

Republished from the London Edition of 1776. In Press. 



7 

Freemasonry for the Ladies. 

Republished from the London Edition of 1791. In Press. 

Greenleaf, Simon. 

A Brief Enquiry into the origin and principles of Freemasonry. 
Republished from the Portland Edition of 1820. In Press. 

Harris, Thaddeus Mason. 

Discourses delivered on public occasions. Illustrating the prin- 
ciples, displaying the tendency, and vindicating the design of Free- 
masonry. t 

Republished from the Charlestown Edition of 1801.' Ingress. 



Hutchinson, William. 

The Spirit of Masonry, with notes by George Oliver. 

230 pp. $1. 



Lawrie, Alexander, 



The History of Freemasonry. 

Republished from the Edinburgh and London Edition of 1804. 

In Press. 



Lenning, C 



Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry. Translated and published 
from the Leipsig Edition of 1822. Three volumes. In press: 

This is the most elaborate work ever issued upon the subject of 
Masonry. It is a library of itself. It has never before been 
translated into English. 



Morris, Rob. 

Lights and Shadows of Freemasonry. 400 pages. $1. 

Six editions of this remarkable work (of which we own the copy- 
right) have been published, and the demand is- steadily in- 
creasing. 



Oliver, George. 



1. A Brief History of Witham Lodge. In press. 

2. The History of Initiation. In press. 

3. An Apology for the Freemasons. In press. 

4. The Historical Landmarks. Two vols. In press. 

5. History of Freemasonry, from the year 1829 to 1841. 

75 cts. 

6. Account of the Schism. In press. 

7. Insignia of the Eoyal Arch, &c. In press. 

8. A Mirror for the Johannite Masons, &c. 75 cts. 

9. The Golden Eemains of the early Masonic Writers. Five 
vols. In press. 

10. Signs and Symbols. In press. 

11. The Antiquities of Freemasonry. $1. 

12. The Star in the East. 75 cts. 

13. The Masonic Manual (Ashe). In press. 

14. The Symbol of Glory. 298 pages. $1. 

15. A Dictionary of Symbolical Masonry. 293 pages. $1. 

16. Book of the Lodge. 107 pages. 75 cents. 

Preston, William. 

Illustrations of Masonry. With Notes by Dr. Oliver. 
Republished from the first edition. 400 pages. $1. 

Webb, Thomas Smith. 

The Freemason's Monitor. 

Republished from the first edition. In press. 

Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of England. 
Republished from the London edition of 1853. With 13 Plates. 

In press. 

Town, Salem* 

A System of Speculative Masonry. 

A new Edition, with Notes by the Author. In press. 

Vertot, M. L'Abbe De. 

The History of the Knights of Malta. 

Republished in 5 vols., from the London edition of 1728. In press. 



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